f*Vv 


ii  ®m 


WEEKS,   JORDAN  AND    COMPANY, 

HAVE    IN    PRESS, 

THE  ECONOMY  OF  THE  HOG  PEN,  or  the  Raising-,  Feed- 
ing and  Fattening  of  Swine.  By  HENRY  COLMAN,  Agricultural 
Commissioner  for  the  State  of  Massachusetts. 

ALSO     IN    PRESS, 

CULTURE  OF  THE  DAHLIA,  by  E.  SAYERS,  a  small 
practical  work. 

' 

THEY     HAVE     JUST     PUBLISHED, 

COBB'S  SILK  MANUAL,  20  engravings. 

KENRICK'S  SILK  GROWER'S  GUIDE,  Both  of  these  are 
practical  works,  from  the  experience  of  the  authors. 


Jacob  Abbott's  Books  for  the  Young. 

The  publishers  invite  the  attention  of  Parents  to  the  series  of 
JloLLo  BOOKS,  by  the  author  of  the  "  Young  Christian,"  com- 
bining good  moral  lessons  with  instruction  and  great  interest ; 
they  have  been  pronounced  by  the  most  competent  judges  the 
best  books  for  the  young  in  the  English  language. 


AMERICAN     #'/'>fI^ 

FRUIT   GARDEN   COMPANION, 

BEING 

A     PRACTICAL     TREATISE 
ON   THE 

PROPAGATION    AND   CULTURE   OF   FRUIT, 

ADAPTED  TO  THE 

, 
NORTHERN    AND    MIDDLE    STATES. 


BY  E   SAYERS,  GARDENER, 

AUTHOR    OF    THE    AMERICAN    FLOWER    GARDEN    COMPANION,    ETC, 


BOSTON: 

WEEKS,  JORDAN  AND  COMPANY, 
1839. 


SB355 


MAIN 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  yew  1838,  by  EDWARD  SAYER.S,  in  the 
Clerk's  Office  of  Uxe  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


TUTTLE,  DENNETT  t  CH1SHOLM Printers 17  School  Strwt 


to 

GEORGE  c,  THORBURN,  ESQ. 

OF     NEW     YORK, 
THE 

PRACTICAL   AND   SCIENTIFIC   HORTICULTURIST, 

•THIS    LITTLE    BOOK 

19 
RESPECTFULLY     DEDICATED 

BY 

HIS    OBLIGED    FRIEND, 

THE    AUTHOR. 


667892 


INTRODUCTION. 


IN  presenting  the  "  Fruit  Garden  Com- 
panion" to  the  public,  the  writer  begs  leave 
to  state,  that  the  principal  object  and  de- 
sign of  the  work  has  been  to  condense  in 
the  most  convenient  form,  as  a  manual, 
practical  remarks  on  the  culture  and  man- 
agement of  the  different  kinds  of  fruit  adapt- 
ed to  the  Middle  and  Northern  States,  for 
the  fruit  garden  and  orchard. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  work  seve- 
ral pages  have  been  appropriated  to  the 
phytology  of  plants,  in  order  to  familiarize 
the  young  cultivator  with  some  of  the  lead- 
ing characteristics  of  trees,  as,  the  bud, 
flower,  leaf,  root,  &c.  In  the  description 
of  this  part  of  the  culture  of  fruit  trees,  my 
object  has  been  to  use  such  terms  as  are  the 
most  simple  and  generally  understood  ;  and 
hence  many  classical  terms  have  been  ren- 
dered into  English,  with  a  view  to  make 
horticulture  familiar  and  easy,  so  far  as  or- 


v 


dinary  and  unobscure  diction  will  favor  that 
end.  In  most  cases,  where  the  classical 
name  has  seemed  to  be  necessary,  it  has 
been  inserted  in  italics.  The  professional 
botanist  and  naturalist  will,  I  hope,  make 
every  allowance  for  a  work  that  has  no 
other  aim  than  to  render  the  culture  of  fruit 
easily  accessible  to  the  inquiring  observer. 

In  the  Nursery  department,  which  natu- 
rally follows  the  phytology  of  trees,  I  have 
given  practical  directions  on  the  propagation 
of  fruit  trees  from  seed,  and  the  many  me- 
thods of  grafting,  budding,  and  bringing  a 
fruit  tree  into  the  proper  size  and  state  for 
the  final  planting  into  the  fruit  garden  and 
orchard.  In  this  part  of  the  treatise,  it  will 
be  seen  that  I  have  rigidly  adhered  to  a 
system  of  raising  fruit  trees  from  seed,  in 
preference  to  that  too  often  adopted  of 
growing  young  trees  from  suckers,  which 
are  ever  the  offspring  of  a  multitude  ,  of 
young  plants  that  rob  the  parent  and  impov- 
erish the  soil. 

In  the  different  modes  of  culture  of  fruit, 
I  have  described  those  methods,  which  ap- 
peared the  most  simple  and  readily  to  be 
accomplished,  and  such  as  will  most  surely 
lead  to  a  satisfactory  result.  To  pretend  to 
elucidate  every  nice  point  belonging  to  the 


INTRODUCTION.  i& 

culture  of  fruit j  in  the  present  enlightened 
age  of  horticulture,  would  be  undertaking  a 
task  which  I  must  acknowledge  I  am  utter- 
ly incapable  to  accomplish.  But,  so  far  as 
this  manual  has  any  pretensions  to  the  cul- 
ture of  fruit,  I  have  given  the  results  of 
practice,  in  a  manner  and  with  a  view  to 
assist  the  inexperienced  cultivator  :  and  any 
errors  that  might  have  occurred  in  penning 
the  articles,  or  any  theory  that  may  appear 
improper  to  the  scientific  horticulturist  or 
pomologist,  I  shall  at  all  times  be  happy  to 
correct. 

It  would  be  superfluous  for  me  in  this 
place  to  enumerate  the  reasons,  why  and 
wherefore,  for  inserting  the  different  articles 
in  this  little  manual.  They  have  all  been 
inserted  for  one  end,  namely,  to  be  useful 
to  the  young  beginner  in  the  culture  of  fruit. 
The  different  subjects  treated  on  can  be 
more  readily  comprehended  by  reference  to 
the  table  of  contents,  than  by  a  long  expla- 
nation in  an  introduction.  With  these  re- 
marks I  send  forth  my  little  manual  to  the 
public,  with  a  hope,  that  it  may  in  a  mea- 
sure prove  to  be,  as  its  author  intended, 
of  some  utility  to  the  young  cultivator  of 
fruit.  . 

EDWARD-  SAYERS. 

MARCH,  1839. 


CONTENTS. 


GENERAL  OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  CULTURE  AND  MANAGE-- 
MENT  OF  FRUIT,  ,  . 


PART  FIRST. 

PROCESSES    OF    VEGETATION* 


CHAPTER  I. 

REMARKS    ON    THE    FOOD,    STIMULANTS,    ETC.    OF     PLANTS. 

ART.  1.  On  Earth  and  its  use  to  Plants,  91 

2.  On  the  Food  of  Plants,          -        .    */*  9? 

3.  On  Moisture,       -  . 

4.  On  Drought,               <          ,.    ,     ,,ivv.  9? 

5.  On  Heat,                      :   1,      "    .'^       .  ^        g6 

CHAPTER  II. 

REMARKS  Olf  THE  DIFFERENT  PARTS  OF  A  TREE. 

ART.  1.  On  the  Seed,          •:  T  *  07 

2.  On  the  Root,        -  90 

3.  On  the  Leaf, 

4.  On  the  Bud,        -  .  .  .  .        32 

5.  On  the  Flower  or  Blossom, 

6.  On  the  Fruit,      -  .         V 


Xll  CONTENTS* 

PART  SECOND. 

MANAGEMENT    OF    THE    NURSERY* 
CHAPTER  I. 

ON  LAYING  OUT  THE   NURSERY. 

ART.  1.    On  the  Selection  of  the  Ground,       -  38 

2.    On  preparing  and  laying  out  the  Ground,         >  £"'      40 

CHAPTER  II. 

ON  THE  INCREASE   OR  PROPAGATION  OF   TREES* 

ART.  1.  Increase  by  Seed,     •;•*"  41 

2.  Increase  by  Cuttings,       «•  -        43 

3.  Increase  by  Layers^  -«.  »  44 

4.  Increase  by  Inoculation, 

5.  Increase  by  Grafting, 

6.  Inarching,  -        51 

CHAPTER  III. 

ON  THE  MANAGEMENT   OF   YOUNG  PLANTS. 

ART.  1.  Seedlings,       -;'  -r '    .'.- -.•$.                                  52 

2.  Cuttings,  -^       54 

3.  Layers,  55 

4.  Buds,       -  -  -        56 

5.  Grafts,        *  ••£•**  58 

6.  The  Inarch,        -  r        59 

CHAPTER  IV, 

SPRING  MANAGEMENT  IN  THE  NURSERY. 

ART.  1 .    Heading  down  Young  Trees,  -  60 


CONTENTS.  Xlli 

ART.  2.    Drawing  Trees,               ...       '*  •'  61 

3.  On  Clearing  and  Digging  the  Ground,           •  62 

4.  On  Planting  out  Seedlings,  &c.                        '•  ..-?•  63 

CHAPTER  V. 

SUMMER  MANAGEMENT  IN  THE  NURSERY. 

ART.  1.    Hoeing  and  Clearing  the  Ground,     >   r  64 

2.    Summer  Pruning  and  supporting  Young  Trees,  65 

CHAPTER  VI. 

FALL  MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  NURSERY. 

ART.  1.    Destroying  Weeds  in  Autumn,  -                       '*  67 

2.    Covering  and  Protecting  Trees,     ^  •  68 


PAKT  THIRD. 

THE    FRUIT    GARDEN    AND    ORCHARD. 


CHAPTER   I. 

ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  FRUIT  TREES. 

ART.  1.  On  the  Selection  of  Fruit,  ..•'-.„  70 

2.  Location  of  the  Fruit  Garden  or  Orchard,  71 

3.  Preparing  the  Ground,  -  72 

4.  On  Planting  Fruit  Tress,  '    ^  72 

5.  On  the  Pruning  and  Formation  of  Fruit  Trees,  77 

6.  On  Thinning  and  Regulating  Fruit,    -  79 

CHAPTER  II. 

ON  THE  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  BERRIES. 

ART.  1.    General  Remarks,  -  •        82 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

ART.  2,  On  the  Culture  of  the  Strawberry,  82 

3.  On  the  Culture  of  the  Raspberry, 

4.  On  the  Culture  of  the  Currant, 

5.  On  the  Culture  of  the  Gooseberry,         -  -     --•  90 

CHAPTER  III. 

";  '*  ; 

CULTURE    OF   STONE  FRUIT. 

ART.  1.    On  the  Culture  of  the  Plum,  92 

2.  On  the  Culture  of  the  Cherry,    -  -        95 

3.  On  the  Culture  of  the  Peach,  96 

CHAPTER  IV. 

CULTURE  OF  POMIFEROUS  FRUITS. 

ART.  1.  On  the  Culture  of  the  Apple,    -  "    -        98 

2.  On  the  Culture  of  the  Pear,  102 

3.  On  the  Culture  of  the  Quince,   -  >  *•"     104 

4.  On  the  General  Culture  of  Fruit*  -  105 

CHAPTER  V. 

CULTURE    OF    THE     GRAPE. 

ART.  1.  Remarks  on  the  Culture  of  the  Vine,  108 

2.  Soil  and  Location,  ••".*      109 

3.  Propagation  of  the  Grape  Vine,        -  110 

4.  Preparing  the  Ground  and  Planting,  -  *J     111 

5.  Summer  Pruning  of  the  Grape,         -  112 

NATURALIZING  THE  FOREIGN  GRAPE. 

6.  Growing  the  Grape  from  Seed, 

7.  Naturalizing  the  Grape  by  Cutting,  and  Grafting,  117 

8.  Diseases  of  the  Grape,  119 

9.  Select  Varieties  of  Native  Grapes,        -       ,    -  ;-  121 

CHAPTER  VI. 

MANAGEMENT   OF   THE   VINERY. 

ART.  1 .    Planting  and  Preparing  the  Vinery,  122 

2.    First  Year's  Management,  >?'V     126 


CONTENTS.  XV 

ART.  3.    Second  Year's  Management,         :;  »  '          *.  127 

4.    Forcing  the  Grape,                       -  *       127 

6.    On  the  Culture  of  the  Grape  in  the  Vinery,  133 


PART  FOURTH. 

MISCELLANEOUS       ARTCILES       AND       DESCRIPTIVE 
LISTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ART,  1.    On  Gathering  and  Picking  Fruit,  Y        '.*'.*       138 

2.  On  Planting  Live  Fences,  V      141 

3.  On  Protecting  Fruit  Trees,  V           144 

4.  On  the  Culture  of  the  Tomato,  -            ^147 

5.  On  the  Culture  of  the  Pie  Plant,  -            -            149 


CHAPTER  II. 

DESCRIPTIVE  LISTS   OF   SELECT  FRUITS* 

Strawberry,  -  .          •_  .v    r.>                    .<  '-'-      ;>.*            151 

Raspberry,  *                                  .    -      153 

Currant,  -                                                 .*.       \*            155 

Gooseberry,  -',..'-      '"-        v«      157 

Plum,  --       ^r*v'-    :>*-'•                ;    i.        ;->^          159 

Cherry,        -  *          >  '         *  ;  .        .  '                      *'     162 

Peach,  *                        *.       :    ^           -          ,»           163 

Apple,        >  -                                                          '••»-'     166 

Pear,  •                     -^                      169 

Quince,       •-  >;^*;      •     «.     •                    ^;                       .      171 

Grape,  -                                                 172 


AMERICAN 


FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 


GENERAL    OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE    CULTURE    AND 
MANAGEMENT  OF  FRUIT. 

THERE  are  few  branches  of  Horticulture,  that 
are  more  deserving  of  a  careful  observation,  than 
the  culture  of  choice  fruit ;  yet  there  is  scarce 
any  subject  connected  with  this  science,  that  is 
less  understood  than  this,  except  by  a  few  indi- 
viduals that  have  paid  much  attention,  and  made 
minute  investigation  into  the  natural  properties  of 
fruit  trees — who  have  in  many  instances  not  only  re- 
alized every  expectation,  but  in  many  ways  received 
a  compensation  for  their  labors  of  the  most  satisfac- 
tory return. 

Choice  fruit  of  almost  any  kind  meets  a  pretty 
general  demand  in  most  of  the  markets  in  the 
Northern  States  ;  nor  has  there  been  any  lack  in 
planting  in  most  parts  to  meet  the  demand.  How- 
ever, a  deficiency  is  apparent,  which  must  be  con- 
sidered partly  owing  to  mismanagement ;  and  unless 
better  modes  are  applied  and  strictly  attended  to, 
the  deficiency  will  in  a  few  years  be  severely  felt  in 
many  parts  of  the  Union.  In  the  first  place,  it  will 
be  seen  that  there  is  a  mismanagement  in  the  select- 
2 


18  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

ing  of  the  ground  and  location  to  be  planted,  which 
by  many  persons  is  considered  a  subject  not  worth 
consideration  ;  when  on  the  contrary  on  it  depends 
the  principal  chance  of  success, — for  if  the  soil  and 
location  are  not  well  chosen  the  best  efforts  of  culture 
will,  in  a  measure  be  defeated,  and  the  produce  un- 
satisfactory ;  hence  in  many  an  idea  prevails,  that  it 
is  impossible  to  bring  the  desired  kinds  of  fruit  into 
a  healthy  growth  and  bearing  ;  when  the  deficiency 
is  wholly  in  placing  it  in  an  inappropriate  situation. 
The  most  common  error  of  this  kind,  may  be  seen 
in  the  apple-orchard  ;  and,  although  thejfact  is  ap- 
parent to  any  intelligent  observer,  no  exertion  is 
taken  to  counteract  it  by  many  persons  who  are  en- 
gaged in  planting  orchards  at  the  present  time.  The 
apple  tree  flourishes  wrell  in  almost  all  parts  of  the 
Northern  States,  when  planted  in  a  sheltered  situa- 
tion, on  the  base  of  small  hills  and  alluvials  in  well 
sheltered  valleys,  &c. — especially  if  the  soil  -is  of  a 
rich  mellow  loamy  nature,  which  is  often  to  be 
found  in  such  locations.  The  contrary  location  is 
that  of  unsheltered  hills  of  a  poor,  gravelly  nature, 
where  the  chilly  northern  winds  have  their  effect  on 
the  trees.  It  seldom  happens  that  trees  so  located 
either  flourish  or  bear  good  crops  of  fruit ;  the  trees, 
both  body  and  branches,  are,  in  such  situations 
blown  all  on  one  side,  the  limbs  stunted  and  the 
bark  covered  with  moss,  the  true  indication  of  pov- 
erty and  stagnation.  The  fruit  of  the  former  is 
mostly  of  a  fine  quality,  good  flavor  and  produce  : 
the  latter  small,  wormy,  and  of  a  meagre  flavor  and 
produce.  The  pear  thrives  well  on  stiff  clayey 
soils,  in  a  well  sheltered  situation.  The  plum  is 
more  local  in  its  nature,  than  either  the  apple  or 


GENERAL   OBSERVATIONS.  19 

pear,  for  it  seldom  thrives  well  and  fruits  in  perfec- 
tion but  in  a  low,  moist  situation,  where  the  soil  is 
naturally  rich  or  made  so  by  adding  plenty  of  ma- 
nure to  it ;  in  such  places  the  plum  does  well  in 
most  parts  of  the  Union.  The  cherry,  on  the  con- 
trary, will  accommodate  itself  to  almost  any  loca- 
tion, soil,  or  aspect  in  any  part  of  the  northern 
states,  providing  it  is  not  winter  killed  which  is 
sometimes  the  case  with  the  tender  kinds,  but  side 
hills  and  dry  sandy  bottoms  are  best  adapted  to  the 
health  and  produce  of  the  cherry. 

Every  fruit  indeed,  will  be  found  to  have  a  natural 
tendency  to  a  peculiar  soil  and  location,  which  I 
shall  endeavor  to  describe  under  the  different  heads 
of  culture,  as  I  proceed. 

A  mismanagement  is  also  often  very  apparent  in 
planting  trees,  which  in  many  cases  is  badly  done, 
and  s  the  result  of  retarding  their  growth  when 
young  in  a  manner  that  they  never  fully  expand  into 
a  full  growth  and  vigor  ;  and  hence  the  cause  of  so 
many  stunted  trees,  that  are  to  be  seen  in  almost 
every  place.  In  many  cases,  fruit  trees  are  much 
crippled  in  their  early  stage  of  growth,  by  allow- 
ing them  to  bear  a  quantity  of  fruit  the  first  year 
after  planting,  by  which  their  vigor  and  vital  princi- 
ple is  in  a  certain  degree  exhausted,  and  the  tree 
never  afterwards  assumes  that  habit  it  would  other- 
wise have  attained.  To  the  above,  may  be  added 
the  general  neglect  of  pruning  and  thinning  the 
branches  of  trees,  and  regulating  them  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  sap  has  a  regular  flow  to  all  and 
every  part  of  them,  their  leaves,  flowers  and  fruit. 

Under  the  head  of  culture,   one  very  essential 
consideration  should  always  be  borne  in  mind  by  the 


20  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

cultivator,  namely,  that  of  planting  in  a  proper 
manner,  which  is  often  little  attended  to  or  thought 
of:  trees  are  often  planted  in  a  careless  manner,  and 
are  merely  left  to  chance  in  culture,  which  is  the 
very  thing  that  should  meet  the  most  strict  attention 
in  young  trees.  There  are  indeed  but  few  things 
that  require  a  more  strict  attention  than  a  young 
plantation  of  fruit  trees,  which  should  be  well  work- 
ed among  and  manured  almost  every  year.  The 
reverse  is  often  seen — young  thrifty  trees  being 
planted  in  an  uncultivated  piece  of  ground,  and  per- 
haps neither  cultivated  nor  manured  for  some  years 
after  the  first  introduction,  when  age  in  most  cases 
rather  decreases  than  increases  their  size  and  vigor. 
It  is  in  the  infant  state  that  trees  and  plants  of  all 
kinds  and  denominations  require  the  best  culture 
and  nutriment,  to  expand  their  organs,  and  form  a 
good  habit ;  indeed,  the  first  formation  is  the  very 
essence  of  every  other  expectation  that  is  to  be  real- 
ized in  culture,  either  good  or  bad ;  therefore,  the 
result  will  be  in  accordance  to  the  first  management. 
In  closing  this  article,  it  will  be  proper  to  state, 
that  it  is  intended  as  a  text  only,  to  what  is  to  fol- 
low ;  the  principal  object  of  the  treatise  being  to 
condense  each  separate  part,  under  its  individual 
head,  in  order  to  guard  against  repetition  as  much  as 
possible  : — therefore,  the  reader  must  not  suspect 
the  use  of  a  quantity  of  paper,  or  number  of  words, 
to  be  the  object  of  the  author ;  but  a  short  and  plain 
manner  of  coming  at  once  at  the  subjects  hereafter 
to  be  treated  upon. 


PART  FIRST. 

PROCESSES    OF    VEGETATION. 


CHAPTER  I. 


REMARKS     ON    THE    FOOD,     STIMULANTS,    ETC.    OF    PLANTS. 

9 

ART.  1. — On  Earth  and  its  use  to  Plants. 

EARTH  or  soil  is  the  base  on  which  most 
vegetable  substances  must  live  and  receive  their 
nutriment.  It  is  true,  tulips,  hyacinths,  and  other 
succulent  bulbs,  have  sometimes  been  found  and  are 
frequently  brought  into  a  state  of  vegetation  and 
flowering  in  water  alone,  or  at  least  with  a  very 
small  portion  of  nutriment ;  but  such  plants  do  not 
during  their  process  of  growth  obtain  their  proper 
qualities,  nor  will  they  vegetate  freely  the  succeed- 
ing year  if  planted  in  their  natural  soil. 

"  Nearly  all  vegetables,"  says  the  learned 
Chaptal  "  derive  their  support  from  the  earth. 
There  are  however  some,  the  seeds  of  which  being 
deposited  upon  trees  by  birds  or  by  the  winds,  ger- 
minate and  grow,  appearing  to  be  in  the  situation  de- 
signed for  them  by  nature  ;  such  are  the  mistletoe, 
the  mosses,  &c.  There  are  others  that  float  upon 
the  water  or  fasten  themselves  upon  dry  rocks,  upon 


22        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

slates,  or  tiles  ;  of  the  last  kinds  are  the  fleshy 
plants.  As  the  earth  furnishes  the  greatest  number 
of  plants,  and  all  those  which  are  of  the  most  im- 
portance to  man,  its  influence  upon  vegetation  is  of 
the  greatest  consequence,  and  at  the  same  time  one 
of  the  most  difficult  of  which  we  can  treat. 

"  Plants  are  not,  like  animals,  endowed  with 
powers  of  locomotion  ;  but  are  always  fixed  to  a 
limited  portion  of  the  soil.  They  depend  on  the 
small  space  which  they  occupy  for  the  supply  of 
their  wants  ;  they  can  place  under  contribution  only 
those  portions  of  the  surrounding  air,  earth,  and 
water  that  come  in  contact  with  them ;  it  is  neces- 
sary, then,  that  they  should  find  immediately  around 
them  the  nutritive  principles  requisite  for  their 
growth,  and  for  the  exercise  of  their  functions  ;  it 
is  necessary  that  they  should  be  able  to  extend  their 
roots,  in  order  to  draw  from  the  soil  its  nourishing 
juices ;  and  to  fasten  themselves  in  the  earth,  so  as 
to  be  secure  from  being  dried  by  heat  or  uprooted 
by  winds." 

ART.  2. — On  the  Food  of  Plants. 

The  food  of  trees  and  plants  is  found  to  be,  in 
most  cases,  either  animal  or  vegetable  substance  in 
a  decaying  state  ;  and  is  absorbed  by  their  roots 
principally  in  aqueous  solution  or  water ;  plants  also 
imbibe  some  nutriment  from  the  atmospheric  air 
by  the  leaves,  which  imbibe  moisture  through  their 
pores  ;  they  also  imbibe  nutriment  from  the  at- 
mosphere of  decomposed  animal  and  vegetable  mat- 
ter which  is  carried  to. them  by  high  winds,  &c., 
from  high-ways  and  other  places  adjacent  to  them. 


FOOD    AND    STIMULANTS.  23 

In  speaking  of  food  of  plants  of  the  most  essen- 
tial and  proper  nature,  I  have  never  found  any  that 
answers  a  better  purpose  than  well  rotted  manure 
from  the  stable  yard,  as  horse,  cow,  or  hog  manure 
placed  in  a  heap  for  fermentation  with  a  quantity  of 
loam,  or  peat  incorporated  therewith  ;  this  compost 
should  be  well  rotted  and  mixed  before  it  is  carried 
on  the  land.  I  am  well  aware  that  there  are  many 
kinds  of  stimulating  manures  recommended,  as  bone 
dust,  horn,  shavings,  and  other  powerful  stimulants, 
besides  many  kinds  from  minerals,  as  lime,  plasters, 
and  the  like  ;  these  I  cannot  pretend  to  say  are  not 
in  many  cases  very  quick  and  beneficial  in  their 
operation,  but  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  first  recom- 
mended kinds,  although  more  steady  and  moderate  in 
their  operation,  are  much  the  best.  The  best  food 
for  trees  not  in  use  that  I  am  acquainted  with  is  old 
woollen  rags  or  cloth  cut  into  small  pieces  and  dug 
or  ploughed  into  the  soil  about  the  roots  of  trees  ; 
young  trees  are  particularly  benefited  by  this  ma- 
nure, as  it  is  one  of  the  best  substances  I  am  ac- 
quainted with  to  cause  young  trees  to  throw  out 
fibres,  and  support  them  by  emitting  to  them  a 
gradual  moisture  of  an  oily  nature :  this  also  serves 
to  retain  moisture  in  dry  weather  and  absorb  it  in 
moist.  Many  kinds  of  fish  are  very  active  and  forci- 
ble manures  for  young  trees,  but  they  are  not  to 
be  recommended,  as  they  rather  force  than  invi- 
gorate the  nature  of  the  tree.  When  exhausted, 
trees  generally  linger  if  not  well  supplied  in  after 
years  from  such  active  manures  ;  blood,  night-soil 
and  many  other  things  may  be  recommended  when 
incorporated  with  loam  as  manures,  but  they  re- 
quire to  be  used  with  caution  in  order  that  the  vege- 


24:  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

tative  principle  of  the  tree  may  not  be  forced  too 
much.  Moderation  in  the  food  of  trees  and  the 
vegetable  kingdom  is  quite  as  much  required  as  in 
the  animal,  and  that  kind  will  be  found  to  be  the 
best  that  acts  the  most  uniform  and  regular  for  a 
length  of  time. 

ART.  3. — On  Moisture. 

In  speaking  of  moisture  I  shall  confine  the  subject 
principally  to  that  which  is  imbibed  by  the  root  in 
the  natural  location  when  the  tree  is  growing.  This 
is  essentially  requisite  to  be  known  by  the  planter, 
because  different  natural  locations  have  different  ef- 
fects in  the  growth  and  health  of  fruit  trees.  The 
Strawberry  and  Raspberry  require  a  moist  loca- 
tion as  do  the  Plum  and  Quince,  whilst  the  Cherry 
and  Apple  do  better  in  a  moderate  dry  soil ;  now  it 
is  not  pretended  that  these  fruits  will  not  grow  on 
the  opposite  locations  ;  for  the  Raspberry  and 
Strawberry  will  grow  on  dry  situations  but  their 
produce  will  generally  be  discouraging. 

When  moisture  is  too  abundantly  applied  to  trees 
and  plants  in  hot  weather,  it  often  happens  that  their 
leaves  are  scalded  when  the  sun  acts  freely  on  them, 
this  is  owing  to  their  leaves  being  overcharged  with 
water  ;  so  that  perspiration  cannot  take  place  speedy 
enough  to  throw  off  the  superabundant  moisture  be- 
fore the  rays  of  the  sun  scald  the  leaf. 

Every  care  should  be  taken  by  the  planter  to  let 
off  a  superabundance  of  surface  water  from  the 
ground  that  collects  either  from  heavy  rains  or  melt- 
ing snow.  When  allowed  to  remain  and  saturate 
the  soil,  the  roots  of  trees  are  materially  injured  by 


FOOD    AND    STIMULANTS.  25 

it ;  particularly  new  planted  trees,  for  the  wounds 
of  trees  being  very  tenacious  of  wet,  generally 
decay  where  wounds  are  made,  and  hence  rot  or 
mortification  from  a  small  part  is  often  extended  to  a 
magnitude  that  is  a  serious  injury  to  the  tree.  Mois- 
ture should  in  all  cases  be  considered  useful  in  a 
certain  degree,  but  when  applied  too  bountifully 
is  injurious. 

ART.  4. —  On  Drought. 

The  principal  injury  sustained  from  drought  by 
the  planter,  is  occasioned  by  its  long  continuance 
early  in  the  spring  of  some  years.  In  consequence 
of  this  early  drought,  at  the  period  when  the  young 
fruit  is  swelling  and  requires  to  be  nourished 
and  invigorated,  the  fruit  fails  and  drops  off. 
This  more  generally  happens  on  dry  soils  than 
moist,  and  hence  in  dry  seasons  we  find  the  plum 
and  other  fruits  fail  in  consequence  of  too  much  dry 
weather  during  the  growth  of  the  fruit. 

The  only  methods  to  assist  fruit  trees  against 
this  is  to  water,  or  melch  over  their  roots  with  long 
manure  or  other  substance  that  retains  the  moisture  ; 
this  method  cannot  be  followed  to  any  extent  with 
grown  trees,  but  in  yonng  planted  trees  the  melch- 
ing  or  covering  with  anything  to  keep  the  roots 
moist  is  often  of  very  essential  service. 

The  Strawberry  is  almost  the  only  fruit  I  am  ac- 
quainted with  that  will  pay  for  watering,  and  that 
under  circumstances  where  water  can  be  conve- 
niently obtained,  as  from  a  pump  being  conducted 
through  pipes  or  other  conveyance  so  as  to  flood 
the  beds  every  day  or  two  when  in  bloom  and  setting 
the  fruit.  This  will  be  of  essential  service. 


26  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

ART.  5. —  On  Heat. 

It  is  very  evident  that  trees  require  a  certain 
heat  to  grow  and  mature  their  fruit  and  wood  in  a 
proper  state.  In  cold  moist  summers,  especially 
the  latter  part,  or  the  fall,  fruit  trees  many  times  do 
not  form  and  mature  their  buds  and  wood  in  a 
proper  state.  This  often  happens  in  Raspberries, 
the  canes  or  wood  of  which  are  kept  growing  in 
cold  moist  seasons,  so  that  they  do  not  ripen, 
and  the  consequence  is  that  they  do  not  fruit 
well  the  following  season.  The  best  method  to 
counteract  or  remedy  this  is  to  cut  out  most  of  the 
wood,  leaving  those  canes  only  that  are  to  fruit  next 
year ;  by  this  means  the  wood  is  more  exposed  to 
the  sun  and  air,  which  acts  on  and  ripens  it  bet- 
ter than  when  shaded  by  all  the  old  wood  and  that 
made  the  present  year.  In  cold  seasons  the  ripen- 
ing of  fruit  may  be  much  assisted  by  thinning  out 
part  of  the  superfluous  wood  and  part  of  the  leaves, 
so  that  it  is  exposed  to  sun  and  air  ;  in  this  opera- 
tion moderation  is  required,  for  in  many  cases  when 
over  done,  as  in  thinning  off  too  many  leaves  from 
grapes  and  other  fruit,  it  is  scalded  by  the  sudden 
influence  of  the  sun's  powerful  rays  which  have  be- 
fore been  excluded. 

Sun  heat  should  in  every  case  be  considered  as 
the  maturer  of  wood  and  the  fruit  of  trees.  There- 
fore the  different  parts  of  the  tree  should  always  be 
moderately  exposed  to  it,  but  care  must  always  be 
taken  in  pruning,  and  thinning  that  the  change  is  not 
too  sudden,  which  is  always  injurious. 

As  regards  the  ripening  of  different  kinds  of  fruit. 


•;•  t  • 

DIFFERENT  PARTS  OF  A  TREE.       27 

there  is  some  difference  in  the  influence  of  the  sun, 
for  we  find  that  some  kinds,  as  the  Gooseberry,  ripen 
best  in  the  shade,  and  some  in  the  sun  ;  this  must  be 
learned  by  the  practitioner  by  observation  of  the 
ripening  of  different  kinds  in  different  locations  of 
of  heat,  cold,  drought,  and  moisture. 


CHAPTER  II. 

REMARKS     ON    THE    DIFFERENT    PARTS    OF    A    TREE. 

ART.  1. — On  the  Seed. 

THE  seed  contains  all  the  rudiments  of  a  young 
plant  in  embryo,  and  commences  a  state  of  vegeta- 
tion so  soon  as  a  proper  heat,  air,  and  moisture  is 
present,  when,  imbedded  into  a  congenial  soil,  if 
its  vegetative  properties  have  not  been  damaged  or 
lost  by  any  accidental  causes  which  might  have 
happened.  It  is  seldom  seen  that  seed  loses  its 
vegetative  properties  by  cold,  when  a  free  circula- 
tion of  air  is  present,  and  it  is  not  saturated  by 
moisture.  In  order  to  prove  this  fact  I  have  ex- 
posed many  kinds  of  seed  to  extreme  cold,  but  I 
have  never  found  them  to  be  injured  if  in  a  dry  state  ; 
but  on  the  contrary, when  seed  is  kept  in  a  warm  moist 
situation  its  vegetative  principle  is  often  put  into  ac- 
tion before  its  proper  season,  and  the  consequence 
is,  the  seed  is  materially  injured,  if  not  totally  de- 
stroyed. Many  kinds  of  seeds  covered  with  a  hard 
shell,  as  stone  fruit,  keep  better  and  vegetate  more 
freely  in  the  spring  if  they  are  mixed  with  earth 


28  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

when  taken  from  the  fruit  and  kept  through  the  win- 
ter in  a  tub  or  other  vessel  until  the  sowing  in  the 
spring.  This  method  may  be  adopted  with  the 
plum,  cherry,  and  all  kinds  of  hard  shelled  seeds. 
The  kernels  or  seeds  of  apples,  pears,  and  most 
pomiferous  fruits  may  be  taken  from  the  pulp  when 
ripe  and  kept  in  sand  through  the  winter.  In  this 
state  they  will  keep  regularly  moist  and  their  vege- 
tative principle  in  a  more  vigorous  state,  and  from 
decaying,  although  moisture  is  injurious  to  seed  in  a 
dormant  state ;  it  may  be  applied  to  such  seed  as  is 
covered  with  a  hard  shell  during  its  dormant  state, 
as  the  peach  stone,  cherry,  and  the  like.  In  this 
case  moisture  applied  in  a  moderate  manner  serves 
to  assist  in  the  gradual  decay  of  the  coat  or  cover- 
ing, which  is  the  shell  ;  this  is  designed  by  nature  to 
protect  the  kernel  or  seed  during  winter  from  wet 
and  other  detrimental  causes  injuring  it  before  vege- 
tation can  take  place  ;  but  at  the  same  time  it  is  im- 
possible that  the  kernel  or  seed  can  vegetate  until 
the  covering  is  decayed,  which  must  be  done  by 
the  action  of  heat  and  moisture  to  decompose  the 
shell,  previous  to  the  seed's  vegetating;  therefore 
the  utility  of  preparing  seeds  of  this  kind  previous  to 
planting  is  at  once  apparent. 

All  kinds  of  seeds  require  a  proper  heat  and 
moisture  to  cause  them  to  vegetate  freely  ;  hence 
tropical  seeds,  as  the  cucumber,  require  60°  of  heat 
to  cause  them  to  vegetate,  whilst  those  of  the  tem- 
perate zone  grow  freely  in  the  moderate  heat  of  40° 
or  45°,  this  should  be  borne  in  mind  by  the  cultiva- 
tor, in  order  that  seeds  may  be  sown  at  the 
season  when  vegetation  will  take  place  to  the  best 
advantage. 


DIFFRENT    PARTS    OF    A    TREE.  29 

ART.  2. —  On  the  Root. 

The  roots  of  trees  are  the  principal  channels  by 
which  the  food  is  extracted  from  the  soil  and  con- 
veyed to  every  part  of  the  tree.  And  hence  it 
is  very  evident  that  they  should  be  placed  in  a  soil 
that  contains  nutriment,  and  of  a  consistence  adapted 
to  their  nature  which  will  be  found  to  be  different 
in  different  kinds.  The  fibrous  roots  being  the 
mouths  or  those  parts  which  imbibe  the  nutriment  .of 
the  tree,  it  should  therefore  be  the  object  of  the 
cultivator  to  use  every  means  in  cultivating  the  soil 
about  the  base  of  young  trees,  in  a  manner  to  en- 
courage the  growth  of  roots  as  much  as  possible. 
It  is  a  fact  I  believe  to  be  but  little  known,  that  in 
many  cases  roots  of  trees  are  much  injured  in  culti- 
vating around  them  by  deep  ploughings,  and  work- 
ing with  a  spade  ;  in  this  working  about  trees  the 
roots  are  often  cut  off,  or  bruised  in  a  manner  very 
injurious  to  them.  In  this  way  the  bark  is  often  bruised 
so  that  the  roots  are  wounded  for  several  years, 
and  in  a  state  of  incipient  decay,  and  hence  the  tree 
makes  a  tardy  and  weakly  growth.  Trees  should 
be  worked  about  the  roots  with  a  pronged  fork  or 
instrument,  that  will  not  cut  or  injure  them.  It 
will  be  needless  here  to  say  that  the  soil  about  trees 
should  be  well  manured  and  worked,  in  order  that 
they  may  knit  and  grow  freely  into  the  soil. 

In  all  cases  young  trees  should  be  grown  in  such 
a  soil  and  situation,  that  the  roots  may  extend 
themselves  freely  when  young  ;  and  here  I  must 
beg  leave  a  little  to  deviate  from  the  old  proverbial 
phrase,  u  as  the  branches  are  inclined  so  the  free  is 


30  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

formed."  I  think  it  is  more  proper  to  say,  to 
u  as  the  roots  are  encouraged  or  inclined,  so  the 
tree  is  formed."  In  planting  young  trees  care  should 
be  taken  that  the  soil  put  about  their  roots  is  of  a 
free  mellow  nature  that  adheres  to  the  fibres  freely  ; 
but  not  in  a  clammy  state  like  paste  or  mortar  ; 
which  instead  of  giving  a  base  for  them  to  strike 
into  and  retain  the  food  and  nutriment,  chills  them 
into  a  torpid  state,  saturates  the  soil,  and  final- 
ly rots  the  tender  fibres,  then  the  larger  part,  and 
so  on  until  the  entire  roots  decay,  and  then  the 
tree.  When  trees  are  thus  going  into  decay  their 
leaves  turn  yellow,  are  feeble,  the  wood  slender 
and  soft  and  affected  by  almost  every  change  of 
weather  when  in  a  growing  state. 

I  must  here  caution  the  young  planter  against  the 
very  improper  manner  of  planting  trees  with  any 
parts  of  their  roots  injured,  which  rarely  heal,  but 
often,  mortify,  mould  and  rot  others  to  the  great  de- 
triment of  the  tree. 

It  is  better  at  once  to  cut  off  any  decayed  part 
cleanly,  than  to  venture  to  put  it  into  a  soil  and 
situation  where  the  eye  has  not  the  power  to  see  the 
injury  the  tree  is  sustaining  from  a  decayed  part,  as 
that  of  a  branch. 

ART.  3. —  On  the  Leaf. 

The  leaves  of  plants  being  the  principal  organs 
of  respiration,  and  contributing  to  their  growth  by 
their  power  of  absorption,  are  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance in  this  operation.  The  surrounding  air 
whether  internal  or  external  being  absorbed  by  their 
agency,  requires  to  be  of  a  pure  and  wholesome  na- 


DIFFERENT  PARTS  OF  A  TREE.      31 

ture,  in  order  to  keep  them  in  a  healthy,  vigorous 
state. 

When  too  much  heat  and  moisture  are  applied  to 
a  tree  growing  in  a  confined  or  shaded  situation  they 
are  imbibed  by  the  leaf,  and  the  consequence  is  that 
the  plant  is  elongated  without  its  proper  qualities  ; 
the  leaves  assume  a  feeble  appearance,  and  are  often 
totally  destroyed  when  the  sun  and  air  act  on 
them  ;  hence  when  young  plants  (as  in  seedling 
beds  in  the  nursery)  are  so  confined  that  they  can- 
not expand  their  leaves  so  as  to  receive  a  due  pro- 
portion of  sun  and  air,  it  is  not  to  be  expected 
that  they  will  obtain  a  sufficient  strength  and 
vigor. 

It  is  proper  in  seedling  beds  to  thin  out  the 
young  plants  so  soon  as  the  leaves  appear  on  the 
plant,  to  such  a  distance  apart,  that  they  may  have  free 
access  to  the  sun,  air,  and  other  stimulants.  This 
fact  is  apparent  to  any  careful  observer  who 
will  notice  a  quantity  of  seedling  trees  growing  in 
their  natural  state  in  woods  or  other  places  ;  in  this 
situation  when  the  young  plants  are  grown  too  thick- 
ly together,  many  naturally  die  for  the  want  of  air, 
and  the  remainder  in  the  succeeding  year  make  a 
healthy  growth  because  they  can  then  obtain  a  due 
share  of  air  and  other  stimulants.  Now  as  the  soil 
at  the  roots  of  these  trees  is  in  most  cases  quite 
sufficient  to  feed  them,  it  is  evident  that  suffocation 
or  want  of  air  is  the  cause  of  the  plants  dying  ; 
therefore  it  is  plain  that  the  leaves  are  of  great 
importance  to  trees  and  plants. 

The  leaves  of  trees,  we  are  informed  by  botanists, 
are  analogous  to  the  lungs  of  animals  ;  therefore 


32  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

they  are  of  the  greatest  importance  in  their  opera- 
tion, besides  being  designed  by  nature  as  a  protect- 
ing screen  to  the  young  shoots  and  fruit  ;  being  of 
such  importance  then,  it  is  highly  requisite  that  every 
attention  should  be  paid  to  the  keeping  of  leaves 
clean  from  any  insects,  disease  or  other  detrimental 
causes  that  shall  either  weaken  or  retard  their  growth, 
particularly  in  their  infant  state,  for  at  that  stage  of 
their  growth  they  are  naturally  thin  and  tender,  and 
hence  whatever  attacks  them  proves  more  injurious 
than  when  they  are  in  a  more  mature  state.  Whilst 
on  the  subject  of  the  leaf,  it  will  be  proper  here  to 
say  a  few  words  on  the  too  severe  and  injudicious 
manner  of  taking  many  leaves  from  grape  vines  and 
trees  when  in  a  state  of  vegetation  ;  this  when  done 
to  an  extreme,  is  certainly  an  act  of  violence  inflicted 
on  nature,  by  the  plants  being  deprived  of  their  most 
useful  organs  when  they  are  the  most  needed  to  sup- 
port vegetation  ;  besides,  the  young  branches  and 
fruit  are  hastily  exposed  to  the  influence  of  the 
sun  in  a  manner  that  is  very  injurious  to  them. 

The  cultivator  should  always  consider  leaves  of 
of  trees  as  the  most  essential  organs,  and  requiring 
every  attention  to  be  kept  in  good  order  for  the  well 
being  of  the  tree. 

ART.  4. —  On  the  Bud. 

The  buds  of  trees  are  termed  by  botanists  the  Hy 
bernacula  or  winter  quarters  of  plants  ;  they  are  form- 
ed in  the  summer,  and  properly  fed  and  nourish- 
ed preparatory  to  the  winter  by  the  descent  of  sap 
in  the  fall.  " 

Buds  of  trees  are  of  three   kinds,  namely,  those 


DIFFERENT  PARTS  OF  A  TREE.       33 

which  contain  the  blossom  in  embryo,  as  in  the  ap- 
ple and  cherry ;  and  those  in  the  same  kinds  of  fruit 
trees,  denominated  the  wood  bud,  which  are  intend- 
ed to  give  leaves  and  branches  the  ensuing  spring  ; 
and  thirdly,  those  kinds  which  contain  the  young 
wood  and  flowers  under  the  same  cover,  as  in  the 
grape,  and  most  kinds  of  running  vines.  These 
buds  are  all  carefully  protected  by  nature  with  a 
hard  scaly  cover  to  shield  them  from  the  winter's 
severity;  however,  in  many  cases  the  blossom  buds> 
as  in  the  peach,  are  winter  killed  in  the  Northern 
States,  but  it  rarely  happens  that  the  wood  bud  is 
affected  unless  the  whole  branch  is  injured. 

The  maturation  of  buds,  is  of  great  importance, 
because  the  succeeding  crop  of  fruit  in  the  ensuing 
season  depends  much  on  the  fruit  buds  being  formed 
sound  and  plump,  particularly  in  the  grape  and 
peach,  for  if  the  buds  are  not  well  formed  in  the 
fall,  it  is  an  almost  certain  cause  of  failure  of  a  crop 
of  fruit  in  the  next  spring. 

There  can  be  no  general  rule,  so  far  as  I  know, 
laid  down  for  the  maturing  and  forming  of  fruit 
buds.  The  best  thing  to  be  done  is  to  be  careful 
and  keep  up  as  regular  a  flow  of  sap  as  possible 
during  the  growth  of  the  young  wood,  for  it  must 
be  recollected  that  the  feeding  of  the  bud  is  essen- 
tially necessary  at  this  time,  in  order  that  it  have  its 
proper  quality,  which  can  only  be  obtained  from 
the  soil  and  atmosphere  ;  hence  we  find  that  many 
young  trees  and  those  which  are  in  a  feeble  state,  in 
dry  seasons  seldom  form  their  fruit  buds  so  as  to 
blossom  freely,  or  strong  enough  to  bear  fruit  the 
ensuing  season.  Trees  in  a  growing  state  should 
also  be  kept  clean  of  insects,  which  enfeeble  the  bud, 
3 


34        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

for  every  thing  should  be  done  to  form  it  in  a  vig- 
orous state. 

Whilst  I  am  on  the  subject  of  buds  it  will  be 
well  to  say  a  few  words  on  inoculating  trees, 
by  inserting  those  from  one  to  another  under  the 
bark  or  outer  covering.  To  succeed  in  this  opera- 
tion, a  nicety  is  required  in  the  choice  of  the  part 
to  be  inoculated  and  the  selection  and  management 
of  the  bud  ;  the  time  that  this  operation  can  be 
done  to  the  best  purpose  is  when  the  young  wood  is 
so  ripened,  that  the  bud  is  plump,  and  the  sap  of 
the  stock  is  flowing  briskly  ;  for,  unless  a  speedy 
and  free  union  is  effected  between  the  bark  of  the 
bud  and  the  alburnum  of  the  stock,  a  failure  must 
certainly  happen  in  a  short  time.  If  buds  are  in- 
serted early  into  very  luxuriant  trees  it  often  hap- 
pens that  they  rpake  young  wood  in  the  fall  to  the  in- 
jury of  the  process  ;  this  happens  owing  to  a  bud  of 
a  weaker  kind  of  tree  being  inserted  into  a  stronger, 
which  feeds  it  with  a  superabundant  flow  of  sap,  and 
hence  causes  Vegetation  at  an  improper  season. 

ART.  5. —  On  the  Floiver  or  Blossom. 

Some  attention  should  be  paid  by  the  cultivator 
to  the  flowers  of  fruit  trees  ;  because  from  them 
comes  the  fruit,  and  unless  the  blossoms  are  strong 
and  perfect,  the  fruit  will  be  imperfect  ;  for  we  of- 
ten see  in  stone  fruit  for  instance,  that  it  is  destitute 
of  the  stone,  which  is  owing  to  the  flower  setting 
its  fruit  without  its  organs  of  generation  being  per- 
fected by  the  farina  ;  in  this  case  it  is  destitute  of 
its  proper  qualities  and  flavor.  It  is  quite  requisite 
that  the  flower  buds  of  trees  should  be  well  matured 
in  the  fall  in  order  that  they  form  all  the  different 


DIFFERENT    PARTS    OF   A    TREE*  35 

parts  of  fructification,  in  a  healthy  and  proper  state* 
In  many  cases  I  have  seen  peach  trees  blossom 
in  the  spring  destitute  of  the  organs  of  fructification, 
and  hence  the  flowers  have  dropped  off  without 
forming  fruit.  This  has  been  owing  to  a  poverty 
either  by  drought,  want  of  air,  or  feebleness  at  the 
time  of  forming  the  buds,  and  hence  the  failure.  The 
blossoms  of  fruit  are  also  often  injured  in  the  time 
of  flowering  by  frost  which  settles  on  the  tender 
parts  ;  when  the  sun  shines  strongly  on  them  it 
scalds  the  blossom  so  that  the  flower  drops 
off.  This  is  often  seen  in  the  peach  and  grape  in 
seasons  when  late  frosts  happen;  and  in  such  sea- 
sons it  is  rarely  that  crops  of  fruit  are  abundant. 
Winds,  much  wet,  or  sudden  changes  from  heat  to 
cold,  are  injurious  to  the  blossoms  of  fruit  trees. 

Blossoms  of  fruit  generally  set  best  .when  the 
heat,  moisture  and  air  are  uniform  and  corresponding 
to  the  natural  properties  of  the  tree  ;  anything  that 
is  very  changeable  generally  retards  its  progress. 

Tender  kinds  of  fruit,  as  the  peach  and  grape, 
may  be  protected,  by  covering  the  trees  when  in 
bloom  with  thin  grass-cloth,  netting,  or  other  woven 
thin  substance  that  will  admit  the  sun  and  air 
through  the  meshes  ;  this  slight  covering,  although 
not  sufficient  to  guard  off  severe  fros  tor  storms,  is 
of  the  greatest  importance  in  moderate  cases,  for  the 
meshes  attract  slight  hoary  frost  which  settles  on  it, 
and  besides  it  acts  as  a  screen  from  the  sun  when 
it  shines  strongly  on  the  tree  after  frosts. 

To  be  explicit  on  the  subject,  it  is  important  in 
all  cases  that  the  blossom  should  be  vigorous,  and 
have  everything  by  nature  to  set  it  strongly,  in  order 
to  obtain  a  good  produce. 


36  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION* 

ART.  6.— On  the  Fruit. 

After  what  has  been  said  of  the  buds  and  flow- 
ers of  trees,  it  will  be  proper  to  say  something  on 
fruit,  which  bears  the  same  affinity  as  regards  being 
supported  in  a  healthy  state  from  the  tree,  which 
should  be  in  good  health  or  the  fruit  will  be  of  an 
inferior  quality.  In  many  cases  we  find  trees  to 
flower  freely  and  set  their  fruit,  which  afterwards 
drops  from  the  tree  in  different  stages,  owing  to 
many  causes  inimical  to  it.  Fruit  of  tender  kinds  is 
as  often  lost  in  its  infant  state  by  frost,  as  when  in 
flower  ;  and  in  most  instances  it  may  protected  in  the 
same  manner.  A  natural  weakness  in  the  tree  is 
sometimes  the  cause  of  fruit  dropping  from  it  ; 
another  cause  is  its  being  too  luxuriant,  as  in  the 
case  of  young  trees,  which  often  make  their  shoots 
so  luxuriant  as  to  impoverish  the  young  fruit.  In  this 
case  it  is  evident  that  to  counteract  either  difficulty, 
the  tree  should  by  culture  and  management  be  kept 
in  a  state  that  shall  cause  it  to  have  a  uniform 
growth  and  health  neither  too  weak  or  too  luxuriant ; 
this  can  be  effected  by  the  different  processes  re- 
commended to  be  practised  hereafter,  as  pruning, 
manuring  and  working  the  soil.  The  thinning  of 
fruit  is  also  essentially  necessary,  in  order  that  when 
it  is  too  thick  it  may  be  so  thinned  as  to  grow  to 
and  have  its  proper  size  and  quality  ;  for  an  expla- 
nation of  this  I  refer  the  reader  to  its  proper  head. 

Many  crops  of  fruit  are  lost  when  in  a  state  of 
growth  by  the  drought,  especially  on  dry  soils, 
which  when  deprived  of  moisture  afford  no  nutri- 
ment to  the  tree.  In  this  case  fruit  often  forms  it- 
self into  a  monstrous  habit ;  thus  the  plum  swells  to 


DIFFERENT    PARTS    OF    A    TREE.  37 

a  large  hollow  white  pulp  without  either  its  proper 
substance  or  quality,  and  drops  from  the  tree  a  dis- 
eased crude  substance.  Cherries,  plums  and  most 
kinds  of  stone  fruit  often  drop  from  the  tree  while 
forming  their  stones,  when  the  season  is  dry  or 
unfavorable,  and  the  apple  and  pear  form  into  an  ill- 
formed  gnarly  fruit  during  the  drought.  Too  much 
exposure  to  the  sun  affects  some  fruit,  as  the 
raspberry  ;  while  others,  as  the  grape,  by  being  too 
much  shaded,  are  prevented  from  obtaining  their 
wonted  qualities.  In  fact  the  orchardist  must  en- 
deavor to  make  himself  familiar,  by  practical  obser- 
vations, with  the  different  causes  that  operate  either 
favorably  or  injuriously  to  fruit.  Such  observations 
are  worth  all  the  theory  that  can  be  penned  by  the 
most  scientific  writers  on  the  subject. 


PART  SECOND. 

MANAGEMENT    OF    THE   NURSERY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ON    LAYING    OUT    THE    NURSERY. 

ART.   1. —  On  the  Selection  of  the  Ground. 

UNDER  the  head  of  Nursery  I  shall  take  into  con- 
sideration the  culture  of  fruit  trees  in  their  infant 
state,  and  in  order  to  condense  the  subject,  I  shall 
confine  it  strictly,  to  a  piece  of  ground  adapted  for 
raising  young  fruit  trees  in  a  healthy  vigorous  state 
for  replanting  in  the  Fruit  Garden  or  Orchard. 

The  selecting  a  piece  of  ground  for  a  nursery  is 
of  more  importance  than  is  generally  considered, 
because,  young  trees  should  always  be  well  grown, 
which  is  to  say,  in  a  healthy  and  symmetrical  man- 
ner, and  hence  the  name  Nursery. — Whilst  on  this 
part  of  my  subject,  I  cannot  refrain  from  making 
some  remarks  on  the  very  improper  modes  often 
adopted  in  raising  young  fruit  trees,  especially  in 
country  places.  Many  persons  who  have  land  to 
spare,  think  that  to  appropriate  a  spot  to  the 
growth  of  young  trees,  and  merely  to  plant,  inocu- 
late, &c.,  is  all  that  is  needful  to  produce  good 


THE    NURSERY.  39 

plants  ;  hence  trees  are  planted  out  in  their  infant 
state,  and  allowed  to  take  their  chance  with  weeds, 
grass,  and  the  like  incumbrances,  that  accumulate 
and  impoverish  them,  and  the  consequence  is,  that 
they  are  dwarfed  into  a  meagre  growth  when  young, 
and  are  in  a  measure  deterred  from  ever  attaining  a 
full  and  vigorous  growth  and  habit. 

Unless  trees  can  be  properly  grown  and  well  at- 
tended to,  a  nursery  never  will  answer  either  for 
profit,  or  as  a  plantation  from  ivhich  it  is  intended  ta 
transplant  into  a  fruit  garden  or  orchard. 

In  selecting  a  nursery,  the  ground  should  be  chosen 
in  a  sheltered  situation,  protected  from  the  north  and 
northwest  winds.  Shelter  indeed  is  one  of  the 
principal  objects  to  be  regarded,  for  in  most  cases, 
young  trees  have  great  resemblance  to  young  chil- 
dren, or  anything  in  its  infant  state  in  the  animal 
kingdom;  they  require  a  degree  of  warmth  and  shel- 
ter to  assist  their  formation  into  a  thrifty  habit :  in- 
deed in  many  cases,  trees  although  not  possessing 
motion  or  sensible  qualities,  are  very  similar  to  ani- 
mals, for  we  find  it  to  be  the  case  in  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  in  trees  more  especially,  that  the  young  are 
fostered  under  the  influence  and  protection  of  their 
parent,  which  acts  as  shelter  and  protection  to  its 
offspring  for  awhile,  and  whilst  the  parent  is  going 
into  an  incipient  decay,  the  offspring  is  gaining  vigor 
and  magnitude,  and  finally  like  the  Phoenix  is  foster- 
ed, fed,  and  formed  from  the  remains  of  its  parent. 

But  to  return  to  my  subject ;  the  ground  should  be 
of  a  naturally  rich  soil,  approaching  to  a  mellow 
loarn,  with  rich  mellow  subsoil,  that  will  retain  mois- 
ture in  a  moderate  degree,  bnt  not  in  such  a  manner 


40  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

as  to  saturate  the  surface  soil  with  moisture,  which 
will  chill  and  destroy  the  roots  of  the  young  trees  ; 
a  part  of  the  nursery  may  be  on  a  dry  location  to 
grow  such  trees  as  are  natural  to  a  dry  soil,  as  the 
cherry,  peach,  &c.  The  location  should  be  such 
that  the  surface  water  may  run  off  after  snow  or 
heavy  showers,  that  it  may  not  too  much  saturate  the 
ground]  nor  should  it  be  so  situated  that  drought  af- 
fects the  ground  severely,  two  extremes  that  of  ten  hap- 
pen, and  are  very  injurious  to  the  growth  and  health 
of  trees. 

ART.  2. — On  preparing  and  laying  out  the  Ground. 

The  preparation  of  the  ground  selected  for  the 
nursery,  should  be  done  in  the  best  possible  man- 
ner, by  clearing  it  of  any  weeds,  manuring  and 
ploughing  it  deep  ;  and  every  thing  that  applies  to 
good  culture,  should  be  done  to  bring  it  into  a  right 
state  previous  to  planting.  Let  it  be  remembered, 
that  if  weeds  are  once  allowed  to  grow  rank  among 
young  trees,  they  not  only  impoverish  them  and  the 
ground,  but  it  is  very  difficult  to  exterminate  them 
therefrom. 

It  is  a  good  method  to  break  up  the  ground  one 
year  previous  to  planting,  and  manure  all  over  and 
cultivate  a  crop  of  potatoes,  which  will  clean  and 
bring  it  into  excellent  order. 

Laying  out  the  Nursery,  is  simply  to  divide  the 
ground  into  squares  appropriate  to  the  size.  It 
should  be  laid  out  in  a  regular  and  systematic  or- 
der, so  that  an  easy  access  can  be  had  to  any  trees 
when  wanted,  without  confusion.  The  most  gen- 
eral and  best  plan  of  laying  out  the  nursery,  is  to 


PROPAGATION     OF    TREES.  41 

lay  out  a  border  of  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  around  it, 
and  a  walk  next  to  it  of  six  or  eight  feet,  and  if  the 
nursery  is  large,  a  broad  walk  of  twelve  or  fifteen 
feet  may  be  made,  up  the  central  part,  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  a  cart  or  wagon  to  take  away  or 
bring  any  trees,  soil  or  other  things  belonging  to  it 
in  the  most  convenient  manner. 


CHAPTER  II. 

ON    THE    INCREASE    OR    PROPAGATION    OF    TREES. 

ART.   1. — Increase  by  Seed. 

IT  should  be  a  general  rule  to  propagate  many 
kind  of  the  trees  by  seed,  although  suckers  are  in 
many  cases  substituted  for  it  ;  the  pear,  the  apple, 
the  plum  and  cherry,  are  the  principal  families  of 
eatable  fruits,  and  are  extensively  cultivated  as  a 
matter  of  profit,  and  as  these  are  of  such  import- 
ance, it  is  quite  clear  that  the  best  possible  manner 
of  growing  trees  should  be  resorted  to,  in  order  to 
give  the  cultivator  a  due  return  for  money  and 
labor  expended. 

The  greatest  error  in  cultivating  the  above  named 
varieties  of  trees  from  suckers  is,  that  they  are 
prone  to  throw  out  suckers  from  the  roots  of  the  pa- 
rent tree  which  acts  as  a  nurse  for  awhile,  to  a  nu- 
merous progeny  of  young  offsprings,  which  in  time 
draw  nutriment  from  the  surrounding  earth,  and  im- 
poverish the  parent.  If  these  suckers  are  cut  off 
from  their  parent  roots,  the  number  is  trebled  yearly 


42        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

and  the  oftener  they  are  cut  off,  the  more  numer- 
ous they  grow.  Seedling  trees  seldom  throw  out 
suckers  from  their  roots,  and  hence  it  is  essential  to 
grow  trees  by  seed  in  order  to  evade  a  perpetual 
trouble,  besides  having  most  generally  better  crops 
of  fruit. 

The  method  of  raising  young  seedlings,  is  to  pre- 
pare a  piece  of  ground,  by  digging  and  manuring  it 
well  either  in  the  fall  or  the  spring,  but  the  spring  is 
generally  considered  the  best.  Having  the  grounds 
prepared,  the  seed  may  then  be  sown  either  in  four 
feet  beds  with  two  foot  alleys,  or  in  drills  of  about  six 
inches  wide  and  a  foot  between.  The  latter  I 
would  recommend,  for  by  this  method  the  young 
plants  will  have  a  better  chance  to  obtain  the  sun  and 
air,  and  grow  more  stout  and  bushy,  than  when 
grown  in  a  thick  bed  of  four  feet  wide.  The  seed 
may  be  sown  in  depth  according  to  the  size.  Such 
as  apple,  pear,  and  the  small  kinds  of  seeds  may  be 
sown  very  shallow,  and  lightly  covered  by  sifting 
over  it  some  fine  rotten  leaf  mould,  or  other  light 
earth,  with  a  portion  of  decomposed  vegetable  mat- 
ter incorporated  in  it.  Peaches,  plums,  nuts  and 
large  hard  shelled  seeds  will  require  to  be  sown 
deeper  in  proportion.  Such  seed  should  be  pre- 
viously prepared  by  mixing  it  with  earth  in  the  fall, 
and  keeping  it  in  tubs  or  boxes  during  the  winter, 
in  order  to  soften  the  shells.  Many  kinds  of  berries, 
as  mountain-ash,  hawthorn,  and  the  like,  may  be 
treated  in  the  same  manner. 

If  the  fall  is  the  most  convenient  time  for  doing 
this  business,  there  is  no  objection  to  doing  it  in  a 
proper  manner,  and  so  much  of  the  nursery  busi- 


PROPAGATION    OF    TREES.  43 

ness  of  the  spring  will  be  forwarded  ;  when  seed  is 
sown  in  the  fall,  it  should  be  on  a  piece  of  ground 
where  it  is  not  subject  to  be  inundated  or  covered 
with  water,  which  rots  the  seed  in  the  ground,  and  is 
an  almost  sure  cause  of  failure  ;  therefore  the  choice 
of  ground  is  of  great  importance. 

ART.  2. — Increase  by  Cuttings. 

There  are  many  kinds  of  fruits  which  are  increas- 
ed by  cuttings,  as  the  grape,  the  currant,  the  goose- 
berry, &c.  The  manner  of  doing  this  is,  to  pre- 
pare a  piece  of  rich  mellow  ground  by  spread- 
ing over  it  a  quantity  of  well  rotted  manure 
and  digging  it  neatly  with  a  plate  spade  ;  this  being 
done,  the  cuttings  are  then  to  be  prepared  by  cut- 
ting them  in  length  of  about  a  foot,  with  a  sharp 
knife  ;  the  ground  being  prepared,  the  cuttings  may 
be  inserted,  by  placing  a  garden  line  and  pressing 
them  down  about  halfway  into  the  ground  by  the 
side  of  it;  when  one  row  is  completed,  the  ground  is 
to  be  neatly  raked  by  the  side  of  it,  and  the  line  re- 
moved to  the  intended  distance  between  the  rows, 
when  the  next  row  may  be  planted  in  the  same  man- 
ner, and  so  continue  until  the  whole  is  completed. 

The  selection  of  cuttings  for  this  purpose, 
is  of  some  importance,  as  healthy  or  meagre  plants 
will  be  made  according  to  the  choice.  The  cutting 
should  be  chosen  from  the  young  wood  of  last  sum- 
mer's growth,  and  that  which  is  strong,  straight,  and 
healthy.  It  should  be,  if  possible,  taken  from  a 
part  of  the  tree,  where  it  has  been  well  exposed,  so 
that  it  is  well  ripened  ;  if  taken  from  the  centre  of  the 


44  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

tree,  where  the  shoots  are  thick,  they  are  oftentimes 
soft  and  succulent,  and  hence  improper. 

The  choice  of  ground  for  this  purpose,  is  very 
important  :  it  should,  if  possible,  be  chosen  in  a 
shady  place,  where  the  sun  and  air  can  have  free 
influence  ;  the  soil  should  be  of  a  rich  light  loamy 
nature,  with  a  portion  of  sand,  in  order  that  the 
cuttings  may  callous,  and  root  more  freely. 

ART.  3. — Increase  by  Layers. 

Many  kinds  of  fruit  trees,  as  the  currant,  the 
gooseberry,  grape,  &o.,  are  increased  from  their 
parent,  by  layers  ;  this  business  is  generally  perform- 
ed in  the  spring,  although,  in  some  cases,  the  fall  is 
preferred,  in  order  to  forward  the  business  in  the 
spring.  However,  the  spring  is  the  most  to  be 
preferred,  as  at  that  time  the  layers  strike  root  much 
more  freely  ;  besides,  the  business  can  be  done  much 
more  expeditiously. 

The  most  general  method  of  performing  this  busi- 
ness, is  to  prepare  the  earth  around  the  parent  plant 
by  digging  and  well  working  the  ground  ;  this  done, 
the  layers  are  to  be  chosen  of  young  slender  shoots, 
and  if  of  one  year's  growth  the  better,  but  if  of 
thrifty  growth,  two  or  three  years'  growth  will  do. 
Having  selected  out  the  intended  layers,  bend  them 
gently  down  to  the  earth's  surface  in  an  opposite  di- 
rection from  the  part  in  the  plant  they  grow  in  ;  this 
done,  make  an  incision  with  a  sharp  knife  for  the 
part  that  they  may  throw  out  roots. 

The  incision  or  cut  is  made  by  placing  the  heel 
of  the  knife  to  a  bud,  (at  a  distance  where  the  shoot 
can  be  conveniently  laid  in  the  ground,)  cutting  the 


PROPAGATION    OF    TREES.  45 

shoot  about  halfway  through,  and  bringing  the  blade 
upwards  about  an  inch,  with  a  clear  cut,  so  as  to 
form  a  tongue  to  the  part  laid  in  the  ground,  to 
send  out  roots.  This  done,  press  a  spade  six  or 
ei^ht  inches  in  the  ground,  into  which,  insert  the  layer 
with  the  cut  part  or  tongue  downwards,  and  close 
over  the  part  with  earth,  pressing  it  down  with  the 
heel,  and  if  the  shoot  is  stiff,  it  may  be  secured  in 
its  place,  by  placing  over  it  a  pegged  stick  and  press- 
ing it  deeply  in  the  ground.  When  the  layers  are 
all  laid,  the  ground  may  be  regularly  placed  about 
them,  and  neatly  raked  or  dressed  off. 

When  many  plants  are  desired  to  be  thus  raised, 
I  recommend  that  a  piece  of  ground  for  the  desired 
kinds  be  purposely  selected,  and  stools  planted  about 
three  or  four  feet  apart.  By  this  mode  a  regular 
succession  of  layers  is  obtained  every  spring  from 
the  last  year's  wood,  which  is  thrown  up  from  the 
crown  or  centre  of  the  stool. 

I  would  particularly  recommend  this  mode  to  be 
adopted  for  the  Isabella  grape  vine,,  by  which  mueh 
finer  plants  are  obtained  than  by  cuttings  or  any 
other  method  in  one  year. 

ART.  4. — Increase  by  Inoculation. 

The  cherry,  plum,  pear,  and  many  other  kinds  of 
fruit  trees,  are  increased  by  budding  or  .inoculating. 
In  order  to  the  success  of  this  method  the  plants  to 
be  operated  upon  should  be  grown  and  in  a  thrifty 
state  when  worked,  else  little  reward  may  be  ex- 
pected for  the  trouble.  When  it  is  recollected 
that  the  bud  inserted,  is  to  be  united  to  the  sap  in 


46  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

the  shoot,  it  must  be  at  once  evident,  that  it 
should  be  in  the  very  best  state  in  order  to  form  an 
union  ;  to  the  contrary  of  this,  we  often  see  trees 
operated  upon,  that  are  old  and  dried  up,  or  have 
no  sap  to  feed  the  inserted  bud  ;  the  success  of  such 
operations  require  no  inquiry  or  consideration  fur- 
ther than  that  it  is  certain  that  the  result  will  be  use- 
less, and  the  trees  where  the  incisions  are  made, 
will  be  scarified  and  disfigured.  Therefore,  when 
budding  is  intended  to  be  done,  the  principal  ob- 
ject should  be  to  choose  young  healthy  wood,  full 
of  sap. 

The  mode  of  Inoculation. — Having  the  trees  of 
the  above  healthy  description,  and  the  proper  sea- 
son being  at  hand,  the  business  may  be  done  in  the 
following  manner  :  at  the  proper  season,  when  the 
plants  to  be  inoculated  are  in  a  right  condition,  pre- 
pare for  the  operation  by  collecting  healthy  shoots 
of  the  summer's  growth,  of  such  kinds  as  are  inten- 
ded to  be  increased.  When  the  shoots  are  taken 
from  the  trees,  they  are  to  be  divested  of  their 
leaves,  leaving  a  part  of  the  forestalk  to  the  length 
of  half  an  inch  ;  they  are  then  to  be  kept  damp  un- 
til they  are  inserted,  which  should  be  as  soon  as 
possible  after  being  separated  from  the  trees. 

There  are  many  ways  of  inserting  buds,  but  I 
shall  confine  myself  to  the  most  general,  and,  I  be- 
lieve most  successful  method,  which  is  performed 
by  making  an  incision  in  the  tree  intended  to  be  in- 
oculated, in  this  form,  T,  by  first  cutting  through 
the  rind,  on  the  top,  in  a  transverse  manner,  holding 
the  knife  between  the  fore  finger  and  thumb  :  the 
bottom  incision  is  made  by  drawing  the  point  of  the 
knife  downward  an  inch  ;  the  thin  end  of  the  haft  is 


PROPAGATION    OF    TREES.  47 

then  to  be  applied  to  the  top  of  the  incision  in  order 
to  part  the  rind  from  the  wood,  which  is  done  by 
gently  lifting  the  top  and  running  the  end  of  the  haft 
downward  on  each  side  to  the  end  of  the  incision. 
The  incision  being  made  for  the  reception  of  the 
bud,  the  next  thing  to  be  done  is  to  prepare  the 
bud,  by  placing  the  scion  in  the  left  hand,  between 
the  fore  ringer  and  thumb,  with  the  top  end  next  to 
the  thumb.  The  knife  must  then  be  taken  in  the 
right  hand,  and  its  heel  placed  half  an  inch  below 
the  bud  intended  to  be  taken  off ;  it  is  then  to  be 
carefully  drawn  upwards  half  an  inch  above  the  bud, 
cutting  it  out  with  about  half  the  wood  and  bark. 
This  being  done,  the  part  is  to  be  placed  between 
the  thumb  and  fore  finger  of  the  left  hand,  and  the 
rind  gently  pressed  back  with  the  edge  of  the  knife, 
when  the  wood  is  to  be  pinched  between  the  thumb 
and  knife  and  divided  from  the  rind  with  the  bud, 
which  is  to  be  inserted  neatly  in  the  incision  by 
pressing  it  gently  down  between  the  bark  and  the 
wood  of  the  tree,  and  bound  with  bass  or  other 
string,  in  a  neat  manner,  beginning  first  at  the  bottom 
of  the  incision,  and  then  continuing  it  to  the  top  over 
and  above  where  the  cut  is  made. 

ART.  5. — Increase  by  Grafting. 

The  object  of  grafting  is  to  prolong  any  desired 
fine  quality  of  fruit  by  uniting  it  to  a  healthy,  vigor- 
ous kind,  which  should  generally  be  such  as  is 
grown  from  seed.  In  this  manner  fine  kinds  of  the 
apple,  pear,  cherry  and  plum  are  prolonged  through 
many  generations,  which  could  not  be  done  by  seed, 
for  seed  from  the  very  best  kinds  generally  returns 


48        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

to  varieties  similar  to  the  parent  crab-apple.  The 
methods  of  grafting  are  numerous,  but  there  are  two 
only  generally  followed,  namely,  the  cleft-graft,  and 
the  whip-graft.  The  former  is  principally  practised 
on  large  trees,  and  indeed  in  the  nursery  department 
in  this  country  ;  but  the  latter  is  universally  practised 
in  the  nurseries  of  Great  Britain  and  other  European 
countries. 

The  scions  selected  for  grafting  are  those  of  the 
last  year's  growth  from  the  fruiting  wood.  Suckers 
from  the  central  part  are  by  no  means  to  be  chosen 
if  they  can  be  avoided.  The  cuttings  should  be 
taken  from  the  tree  about  the  beginning  of  March 
and  tied  in  bundles,  and  placed  into  the  earth  in  a 
sunny  and  sheltered  situation.  The  time  of  grafting 
depends  on  the  nature  of  the  season,  but  general- 
ly the  beginning  of  April  is  a  good  time.  When  the 
sap  beginsto  flow  freely  is  the  best  period,  which, 
can  be  easily  ascertained. 

Cleft- grafting. — Having  the  scions  prepared  as 
before  directed,  a  quantity  of  grafting-clay,  compo- 
sition, or  other  proper  covering  may  be  prepared 
previous  to  performing  the  work.  The  grafting- 
clay  is  prepared  by  collecting  a  quantity  of  stiff  clay, 
and  moistening  it  with  water  to  the  consistence  of 
stiff  mortar  ;  into  this  a  quantity  of  short  cut  horse 
hair,  moss,  horse  dropping,  or  other  substance  may 
be  mixed  to  thread  it  together  in  a  manner  that  it  will 
act  as  a  plaster,  not  to  be  easily  removed  from  the 
tree  by  rain,  sun,  or  other  cause  when  once  put  on. 
This  composition,  if  well  made,  is  the  best,  and  will 
be  found  to  answer  for  any  kind  of  grafting. 

There  are  many  other  kinds  of  composition  made 
for  the  purpose  of  covering  grafts,  of  which  bees- 


PROPAGATION    OP    TREES.  49 

wax  is  the  principal ;  in  some  instances  it  is  the  only- 
thing  used,  as  on  small  orange  trees  and  those  plants 
that  are  cleft-grafted,  and  united  in  a  moist  heat. 
It  is  used  by  melting  and  putting  it  thinly  over  the 
wound  with  a  brush,  or  even  the  finger.  A  very 
good  composition  is  made  by  mixing  a  portion  of 
bees-wax,  pitch  and  glue,  with  a  little  hog's  lard,  and 
well  boiling  it  together  in  an  earthen  pipkin.  When 
used,  it  is  laid  in  with  a  brush  hot,  but  not  so  as  to 
scald  the  bark. 

In  the  act  of  grafting,  fix  on  a  clean  part  of  the 
stock  or  branch  to  be  worked,  sawing  off  the 
branch  in  a  clean  manner,  then  paring  the  wound 
with  a  sharp  knife,  being  careful  not  to  bruise  the 
outer  bark  :  this  done,  prepare  to  make  a  cleft  by 
placing  a  straight  stiff  bladed  knife  directly  across 
the  centre  of  the  cut,  and  with  a  mallet  or  other  tool 
cleave  the  crown  two  or  three  inches.  Having 
made  the  cleft,  open  it  by  driving  down  the  centre 
a  narrow  wedge  of  iron  far  enough  to  open  the  sides 
sufficient  to  receive  the  grafts,  which  are  prepared  by 
cutting  them  in  lengths  about  six  and  eight  inches 
long — cutting  the  bottom  ends  downwards,  on  each 
side,  in  the  form  of  a  wedge,  and  so  that  it  fits  neatly 
in  the  cleft,  into  which  it  is  to  be  gently  pressed 
downwards,  being  careful  that  the  barks  of  the  graft 
and  the  stock  precisely  meet.  The  cleft  part  is 
now  to  be  covered  in  such  a  manner  that  neither  sun 
nor  air  can  have  access  to  the  parts  of  the  graft  and 
stock  to  prevent  their  speedily  uniting.  The  clay 
is  put  on  with  the  hands  and  closely  united  to  the 
bark  by  pressure.  When  neatly  done,  it  should 
have  the  appearance  of  an  egg,  and  should  let  off  the 
wajer  freely  that  may  settle  on  it.  • 

4 


50        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

Whip-grafting  is  generally  performed  on  small 
nursery  stocks,  and  although  not  generally  practised 
in  this  country,  I  think  it  a  mode  highly  commenda- 
ble for  the  plum  and  cherry,  grafts  of  which  general- 
ly do  well  on  small  stocks. 

The  method  of  performing  whip-grafting  is  by 
cutting  off  the  stock  at  the  place  selected,  in  a  clean 
sloping  manner  ;  then,  with  a  sharp  budding  knife, 
from  the  smooth  part  next  to  the  lowest  part  of  the 
cut,  shave  off  the  bark  and  wood  about  two  inches 
long,  beginning  at  the  bottom  by  drawing  the  heel  of 
the  knife  gently  in  the  bark  and  gradually  cutting 
deeper  in  the  wood  until  the  blade  is  drawn  out  at 
the  top.  The  graft  is  prepared  by  cutting  it  in  a 
sloping  manner  in  a  reverse  position,  so  that  when 
placed  on  the  cut  of  the  stock  it  forms  a  neat  splice. 
Some  gardeners  recommend  cutting  a  thin  tongue  in 
the  graft  upwards,  and  ip  the  stock  downwards  ; 
these  two  tongues  are  united  into  the  stock  and  the 
graft  by  pressing  the  latter  downwards  into  the  for- 
mer ;  when  the  union  is  effected  the  outer  bark  of  the 
graft  and  stock  will  precisely  meet,  and  the  splice  in 
every  way  exactly  fits  ;  this  indeed  is  the  grand  art 
in  performing  the  operation.  When  the  graft  is  set, 
it  is  to  be  bound  with  bass-string,  beginning  at  the 
bottom  and  winding  it  upwards  in  a  gradual  manner, 
When  the  graft  is  bandaged,  it  is  to  be  covered  with 
clay  or  other  composition  in  the  same  manner  as 
directed  for  the  cleft-graft. 


PROPAGATION    OF     TREES*  51 

ART.  6. — -Inarching. 

Although  inarching  more  properly  belongs  to  the 
green-house  than  the  fruit  department,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  say  a  few  words  on  the  subject  in  this 
place. 

The  object  of  inarching  is  to  form  a  safe  and 
speedy  union  of  any  choice  variety  of  hard  wooded 
plants  or  trees  on  to  a  wilding  or  stock  of  the  same 
genus  or  species  ;  and  the  practice  is  generally 
adapted  to  those  kinds  that  do  not  speedily  unite 
by  engrafting  ;  this  is  greatly  facilitated  by  inarching, 
as  the  parts  are  always  united,  and  a  continued  flow 
of  sap  almost  always  ensures  a  certain  union. 

The  practice  of  inarching,  is  simply  done  by 
planting  or  placing  a  number  of  the  stocks  to  be 
worked  around  the  tree  to  be  worked  from,  in  such 
a  manner  that  the  branches  can  be  easily  united  to- 
gether. 

The  operation  is  done,  in  the  spring,  about  the 
same  time  as  grafting — when  the  sap  begins  to  rise 
in  the  tree  is  a  proper  time.  The  work  is  done  by 
bending  a  shoot  from  the  tree  intended  to  be  worked 
to  the  stock,  where  it  is  to  be  united  in  the  follow- 
ing manner.  Place  the  part  of  the  shoot  to  the 
stock,  then  with  a  sharp  knife  pare  off  part  of  the 
branch  and  stock  so  as  to  make  a  neat  splice  in  pre- 
cisely the  same  manner  as  the  whip-graft ;  the  part 
united  is  then  to  be  bandaged  and  covered  as  the 
graft,  and  in  every  way  managed  in  the  same  man- 
ner. 


52  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION, 

CHAPTER  III. 

ON    THE    MANAGEMENT    OF    YOUNG    PLANTS. 

ART.  1. — Seedlings. 

THERE  is  some  care  and  attention  required  to 
grow  seedlings  in  a  strong  and  healthy  state  the  first 
year,  which  is  of  great  importance  to  their  after 
growth  ;  for  when  seedlings  are  not  well  grown  the 
first  year,  they  are  often  stunted  into  a  meagre 
growth  that  prevents  them  from  making  any  progress 
the  following  year. 

When  the  young  plants  begin  to  break  the  ground 
and  make  their  appearance,  any  heavy  lumps  of  dirt, 
stones  or  other  substances  that  impede  their  growth 
may  be  taken  away.  If  the  weather  is  very  dry  at 
this  time,  the  plants  may  have  a  good  soaking  of 
water  given  to  them  two  or  three  times  of  an  even- 
ing. When  the  plants  have  two  or  three  leaves, 
the  beds  may  be  thinned  by  pulling  out  those  in 
clusters,  and  leaving  them  as  regular  as  possible, 
an  inch  or  two  apart — being  careful  always  to  leave 
the  centre  part  of  the  bed  the  thinnest,  as  it  must  be 
recollected  that  the  plants  in  the  middle  do  not  have 
the  chance  to  obtain  so  much  air  as  the  outside. 
As  the  young  plants  advance  in  growth,  the  beds 
should  be  regularly  looked  over,  and  divested  of  any 
weeds,  filth,  or  anything  that,  may  retard  their  growth, 
and  every  thing  should  be  done  to  encourage  a 
healthy  growth  during  the  summer. 

In  the  fall,  if  the  plants  are  to  remain  in  the  seed 
bed  for  another  year's  growth,  before  they  are  planted 


MANAGEMENT    OF    YOUNG    PLANTS.  53 

Into  nursery  rows,  (which  is  much  the  best  method,) 
they  may  be  protected  as  directed  under  the  head 
of  u  fall  management  in  the  nursery,"  and  so  during 
the  winter ;  and  in  the  spring  they  may  be  prepared 
for  a  summer's  growth. 

The  methods  of  management  of  seedling  trees,  like 
other  processes  in  horticulture,  are  various.  I  shall 
describe  that  which  from  practice  and  observation 
appears  to  me  to  be  the  best,  and  leave  the  proof  of 
its  correctness  to  the  inquiring  practitioner. 

The  two  principal  objects  to  be  kept  in  view  in 
the  growth  of  seedlings  the  second  year  is,  to  cause 
them  to  form  a  number  of  branching  fibrous  roots 
and  to  enlarge  in  the  main  stem  or  stock  a  little 
above  the  ground,  where  engrafting  is  to  take  place 
when  planted  into  nursery  rows.  These  two  essen- 
tial points  are  often  not  only  disregarded  but  oppos- 
ed by  allowing  seedlings  to  grow  thickly  together 
the  second  year  without  any  restraint  or  management, 
and  the  consequence  is,  that  they  grow  into  long 
slender  stems  without  acquiring  bulk  and  substance 
at  the  proper  place,  the  base  of  the  stem  ;  the  top  is 
superabundant,  and  the  roots  are  contracted  to  mere- 
ly a  tap  root,  which  running  into  the  subsoil  forms 
fibres  where  they  must  be  severed  from  the  plant 
when  removed. 

The  management  I  recommend  for  seedlings  the 
the  second  year  is,  to  look  over  the  bed  and  thin 
out  the  plants  to  three  inches  apart,  leaving  the  most 
healthy  plants  in  the^bed.  This  done  take  a  sharp 
plate  spade,  and  placing  it  in  the  ground  six  or  eight 
inches  from  the  outside  of  the  rows,  press  it  under 
them  five  or  six  inches  ;  then  press  it  underneath 
the  plants  to  the  centre  of  the  bed  in  such  a  manner 


54  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

as  to  cut  asunder  the  tap  roots  of  the  plants ;  pro- 
ceed to  manage  the  other  side  in  the  same  manner. 
By  cutting  asunder  the  tap  roots,  the  plants  immedi- 
ately form  side  or  lateral  roots  near  the  surface, 
with  fibres.  The  luxuriant  shoot  that  would  be  made 
if  the  tap  root  were  allowed  to  remain  is  retarded, 
and  the  stock  swells  in  bulk  at  the  base  according 
as  the  branching  roots  are  formed,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing spring  hy  this  method  a  plant  is  obtained  having 
plenty  of  fibrous  roots  and  a  stout  stem. 

The  young  plants  that  are  taken  from  the  seedling 
bed  may  be  planted  thickly  in  a  row  in  a  rich  soil 
to  form  themselves  into  good  plants  for  transplanting 
the  ensuing  spring. 

ART.  2. —  On  the  Management  of  Cuttings. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  of  cuttings  in  the 
Nursery,  as  grape,  gooseberry,  &c.  ;  they  should 
be  kept  perfectly  clear  of  weeds,  that  they  may 
not  overgrow  and  impoverish  them  ;  this  can  be 
effected  by  hoeing,  raking  and  dressing  the  ground. 
Care  should  also  be  taken  that  the  earth  is  not  too 
loose  about  them,  so  as  to  let  the  drought  into  them, 
which  would  deter  their  taking  root  ;  if  the  weather 
proves  very  dry  about  the  time  they  begin  to  grow, 
and  water  is  convenient,  the  rooting  will  be  much 
facilitated,  by  giving  them  a  good  watering  two  or 
three  times  early  in  the  spring.  Or  it  is  a  good 
method  to  melch  over  the  ground  between  the  rows 
with  short  litter,  or  if  moss  can  be  obtained,  it  will 
answer  an  excellent  purpose  to  help  to  retain  the 
moisture.  If  neither  of  these  can  be  obtained,  the 
ground  should  often  be  hoed  between  the  rows,  in 


MANAGEMENT    OF    YOUNG    PLANTS.  55 

order  to  attract  the  moisture  from  the  atmospheric 
air.  In  the  fall  it  is  a  good  method  to  strew  some 
short  manure  or  rotten  leaf  mould  on  the  ground 
near  the  stems  of  the  cuttings,  in  order  to  guard 
them  from  the  frost,  which  often  draws  them  from 
the  ground. 

The  second  year  the  young  plants  may  be  pruned, 
by  thinning  out  the  tops  or  heading  in  the  young 
shoots  to  an  eye,  leaving  three  or  four  eyes  on  each 
plant,  as  the  gooseberry,  currant,  and  the  like  shrub- 
by dwarf  growing  fruit  trees  which  form  compacter 
and  handsomer  trees  by  being  headed  down  in  this 
manner.  If  the  plants  are  weakly,  some  good  rot- 
ten manure  dug  in  between  the  rows,  will  greatly 
facilitate  their  growth  the  second  year.  When  the 
plants  are  of  a  sufficient  size,  they  may  be  planted 
out  as  other  trees  from  the  nursery,  into  the  depart- 
ment assigned  them  for  fruiting. 

ART.  3. — On  the  Management  of  Layers. 

The  principal  management  requisite  for*  layers  af- 
ter they  are  put  down,  is  to  keep  them  regularly 
moist  during  the  growing  season,  that  they  may 
throw  out  roots  from  the  incisions  made  in  a  freer 
manner  early  in  the  spring.  In  dry  seasons  this  is 
much  facilitated  by  covering  the  ground  all  over 
(where  the  layers  are  inserted)  with  short  manure, 
or  a  better  substitute  is  a  quantity  of  long  moss 
which  can  be  obtained  from  the  woods  ;  this  is  an 
essential  point  in  nursery  business,  little  attended 
to,  although  of  great  importance.  Any  person 
must  be  aware,  that  plants,  in  the  act  of  throw- 
ing out  young  roots,  should  have  every  encourage- 


56  FRFIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

ment  to  forward  the  progress,  for  it  is,  in  most  cases, 
taking  the  young  from  the  parent  before  it  has  suf- 
cient  strength  to  support  itself  in  a  vigorous  state 
that  causes  failure  ;  therefore,  anything  that  can  be 
done  to  strengthen  it,  is  essentially  necessary. 

In  the  month  of  August,  when  the  layers  are  well 
rooted,  which  can  be  ascertained  by  examining 
them  where  the  incision  is  made,  they  may  be  cut 
from  the  parent  plant,  by  cutting  asunder  the  part 
between  the  parent  and  the  part  layered  in  the  ground  ; 
this,  I  consider  of  high  importance,  as  the  layer 
will  have  time  to  be  fully  established  in  the  ground 
on  its  own  bottom,  before  the  fall,  and  be  indepen- 
dent of  its  parent.  But  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
cut  the  layer  from  the  parent  before  it  is  well  rooted, 
especially  iij  dry  weather,  for  by  so  doing,  often- 
times the  young  plants  are  totally  lost.  A  judicious 
cultivator  will  be  able  to  determine  on  this  part  by 
examining  the  layers. 

In  the  spring,  the  layers  may  be  taken  from  their 
parent,  and  planted  out  either  in  nursery  rows,  or 
in  the  place 'designed  for  their  final  fruiting.  Care 
must  be  taken  not  to  take  away  any  layers  from  the 
parent,  unless  they  are  well  rooted  ;  many  plants 
are  destroyed  for  want  of  care  in  this  respect. 
Leave  such  plants  on  the  stools  for  another  year, 
to  get  well  rooted. 

ART.  4. —  On  the  Management  of  Buds. 

After  inoculation  has  been  done  in  fruit  trees  for 
three  or  four  weeks,  the  buds  inserted  may  be  looked 
over,  and  any  that  are  beginning  to  swell  in  the  bark 
so  that  they  are  cut  by  the  bandage,  may  be  released 


MANAGEMENT    OF    YOUNG    PLANTS.  57 

either  by  taking  it  totally  off,  or  releasing  the  bud 
by  loosening  it.  This  is  essentially  necessary  to 
be  done,  as  in  many  cases,  buds  are  totally  lost 
by  being  cut  with  the  bandage.  Buds  should  be 
carefully  looked  over  every  few  days,  until  the 
fall  of  the  leaf,  as  at  that  time  the  descent  of 
the  sap  will  be  completed.  Many  persons  make  it 
a  rule  to  take  off  entirely  the  bandages  from  buds 
when  they  are  taken  or  fully  united  to  the  tree. 
Others,  on  the  contrary,  leave  on  all  the  bandage 
during  the  winter,  to  protect  the  bud,  and  some  take 
off  the  bandage  when  the  buds  swell,  and  rebind 
with  new  bass  for  the  winter.  It  is  difficult  to  de- 
cide on  which  of  these  methods  is  the  best,  and 
we  must  be  guided  in  a  measure  by  circumstances, 
as  to  which  will  answer  the  best  purpose.  For  my 
own  part,  I  think  that  it  is  best  to  pay  great  atten- 
tion to  buds  when  they  begin  to  swell,  as  the  sap 
descends  ;  and  the  best  method  is  to  loosen  the 
bandage  at  different  times,  to  give  the  buds  room  to 
swell  ;  I  think  also  that  the  rebinding  of  the  bud  in 
the  fall  with  a  view  to  protect  it  during  the  winter, 
is,  in  many  cases,  of  an  essential  service  ;  for  we 
often  see  buds  winter  killed,  owing  to  the  severity 
of  the  winter,  by  springing  the  bark  off  of  them, 
and  the  lip  off  the  cut  in  the  stock.  In  the  following 
spring,  the  top  of  the  stock  may  be  cut  off,  about 
six  inches  from  the  bud,  and  if  any  bandage  be 
about  it,  it  should  be  taken  away,  that  it  may  not  be 
cut  when  it  commences  to  grow  ;  the  part  left  above 
the  bud  is  intended  to  tie  the  young  shoot  to,  and 
protect  it  from  being  blown  from  the  stock  in  sum- 
mer when  making  rapid  growth. 

Summer  management. — When  the  buds  begin  to 


58         FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

make  their  summer  shoots,  the  trees  should  be  gone 
over  and  divested  of  any  shoot  that  may  grow  from 
the  stock  ;  which  will  impoverish  the  growth  of  the 
bud  intended  to  form  the  head  of  the  tree.  When 
the  shoot  from  the  bud  is  some  inches  long,  it  may 
be  tied  to  the  stick  (before  mentioned)  with  bass  or 
other  string,  in  a  manner  to  guard  it  against  storms  or 
winds  ;  in  this  process,  care  must  be  taken  that  the 
strings  are  not  tied  too  tight,  which  will  cut  the 
young  wood  ;  every  attention  should  be  paid  during 
the  season,  to  the  growth  of  the  young  wood,  by 
keeping  off  any  insect,  taking  off  the  dead  leaves, 
and  the  like.  In  the  following  spring,  the  snag  or 
piece  of  dead  wood  left  above  the  bud  to  protect  it, 
should  be  cut  off  neatly  close  to  it,  so  that  the  wood 
heals  freely. 

ART.  5. — On  the  Management  of  Grafts. 

The  principal  care  required  in  grafts,  is  to  look 
them  over  in  the  spring,  and  to  see  that  the  compo- 
sition or  covering  remains  in  a  safe  state  ;  and  if 
there  be  any  of  the  bandage  either  falling  off  by  ac- 
cident or  otherwise  displaced,  it  should  be  immedi- 
ately replaced,  that  the  air  may  not  have  access  to  the 
wound  where  the  graft  is  united  to  the  tree,  which, 
in  most  cases,  is  the  cause  of  a  failure.  When  the 
graft  is  united  and  begins  to  make  a  growth,  the 
bandage,  if  bandage  has  been  used,  may  be  taken  off 
to  prevent  it  from  cutting  the  graft,  which  in  many 
cases,  is  the  cause  of  its  being  blown  from  the  trees 
in  stormy  seasons,  as  the  bark  and  wood  is  often  in 
this  case  cut  nearly  half  asunder  by  the  bandage. 
If  the  grafts  grow  very  luxuriantly  in  the  spring. 


MANAGEMENT    OF    YOUNG    PLANTS.  59 

the}7  should  be  protected  by  tieing  a  small  stick  to 
the  branch  grafted  in,  in  such  a  manner,  that  the 
graft  can  be  tied  to  it,  to  support  it  from  storms, 
and  winds. 

In  the  following  spring,  the  grafted  trees  may  be 
looked  over,  and  any  young  suckers  growing  from 
the  stock  or  tree  that  may  be  liable  to  injure  and 
retard  the  growth  of  the  graft,  may  be  taken  off. 
Any  decayed  bark  or  snags  near  the  bark  that  is 
either  useless  or  a  nuisance,  should  be  cut  away, 
and  the  tree  should  in  every  part  be  properly  and 
neatly  pruned. 

ART.  6. — On  the  Management  of  the  Inarch. 

Where  trees  are  inarched,  they  require  to  be  of- 
ten looked  over,  as  the  branches  inarched,  are  often 
displaced  by  storms  and  winds.  Every  care  should 
be  taken  to  keep  the  soil  around  the  roots  of  the 
trees  or  plants  inarched  in  good  order,  by  digging 
in  manure  and  keeping  them  moist.  This  is  very 
essential,  because  the  healthier  the  plants  worked 
are  kept,  the  better  will  they  unite  together  ;  it 
should  always  be  recollected,  that  plants  should  be 
kept  in  the  best  possible  state  of  health,  when  either 
budded,  grafted,  or  inarched,  because  when  a  free 
flow  of  sap  is  kept  up,  then  the  union  of  the  two 
parts  by  the  sap  takes  place  much  more  speedily. 

After  the  plants  have  been  inarched  two  or  three 
months,  they  may  then  be  examined,  to  see  if  they 
are  well  united,  which  if  it  has  taken  place  and  a 
perfect  union  is  made  of  the  inarch  and  tree,  it  may 
then  be  cut  from  the  parent  plant  by  cutting  asun- 
der that  part  between  the  stock  and  the  one  from 


60         FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

which  the  inarch  is  taken.  It  is  well  here  to  give 
a  caution  to  the  young  practitioner,  not  to  do  this 
too  soon,  as  in  that  case  it  is  often  seen  that  the  in- 
arch is  lost  ;  it  should  not  be  done  until  a  good  union 
has  taken  place. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

SPRING     MANAGEMENT    IN    THE    NURSERY. 

ART.   1. — Heading  down   Young  Trees. 

THE  heading  down  of  young  trees  is  the  first 
thing  that  can  conveniently  be  done  in  the  nursery 
in  the  early  part  of  the  spring,  and  should  be  atten- 
ded to  before  the  ground  is  sufficiently  open  for 
drawing  trees,  and  such  as' comes  under  spade  work. 

Budded  or  inoculated  trees,  as  the  peach,  pear, 
and  the  like,  may  be  first  done  by  cutting  down  the 
wood  above  the  bud  six  inches  or  a  foot,  leaving  a 
part  of  the  stock  above  the  bud  for  the  purpose  of 
tieing  the  young  growth  made  from  the  eye  ;  trees 
worked  the  year  previous,  may  have  the  piece  of 
wood  left  above  the  bud  (which  is  now  of  no  use) 
cut  close  to  the  bud  in  a  neat  clean  manner,  so  that 
it  may  heal  freely.  In  performing  this  business, 
care  must  be  taken  to  take  away  any  useless  shoots 
from  the  tree  below  the  bud,  that  will  draw  sub- 
stance from  and  impoverish  it.  Any  trees  that  are 
intended  to  remain  in  the  nursery  another  year  and 
that  are  intended  to  form  bushy  heads,  may  now 


SPRING    MANAGEMENT.  61 

be  headed  down  close  to  the  bud  or  graft,  cutting 
each  shoot  down  two  or  three  eyes,  which  will  throw 
out  luxuriant  shoots,  and  form  it  to  bushy  rows. 
At  this  time  most  trees  may  be  headed  down  and 
pruning  performed,  as  directed  under  its  proper 
head. 


ART.  2. — Drawing   Trees. 

The  drawing  of  trees  may  be  commenced  when 
the  frost  is  out  of  the  ground,  so  that  the  spade  can 
be  worked  freely.  It  is  very  rarely  that  there  is 
sufficient  pains  taken  in  drawing  trees,  which  can  be 
accounted  for  in  different  ways  ;  in  the  first  place, 
the  season  is  so  short  when  it  is  to  be  done,  that  the 
haste  to  complete  the  business  of  drawing  in  a  nur- 
sery is  often  some  excuse  for  the  improper  manner 
in  which  it  is  done.  However,  there  can  be  no  ex- 
cuse for  the  cutting  off  all  the  fibrous  roots  of  trees 
in  a  manner  that  they  are  valueless,  or  so  much  in- 
jured, that  it  will  take  two  or  three  years  before  they 
can  re-establish  themselves,  so  as  to  make  a  luxu- 
riant growth.  In  the  act  of  drawing  young  trees, 
every  care  should  be  taken  to  take  them  from  the 
ground  in  such  a  manner  that  they  may  retain  as 
much  as  possible,  their  roots  in  their  natural  state, 
and  that  the  fibrous  roots  are  not  cut  off.  In  taking 
a  young  tree  from  the  ground,  the  first  thing  to  be 
done,  is  to  take  out  the  soil  a  spade  deep  or  deeper 
than  the  roots  on  one  side  of  the  tree,  at  such  a  dis- 
tance that  the  roots  may  not  be  cut  too  short  ;  this 
done,  the  tree  is  to  be  gently  pulled  on  that  side  to 
draw  the  top  roots  tight,  which  are  to  be  cut  by 
spading  round  in  a  circular  manner  on  the  opposite 


62  FRUIT    GARDEN   COMPANION. 

side  at  such  a  distance  that  when  cut  they  may  be 
of  sufficient  length  to  support  the  tree. 

ART.  3. —  On  Clearing  and  Digging  the  Ground. 

When  the  trees  intended  to  be  taken  up  are  all 
drawn,  the  trees  headed  down,  tied  up,  and  the  like 
operations  are  completed  for  the  spring,  the  ground 
should  be  cleared  of  all  kinds  of  brush,  rubbish, 
weeds,  &c.,  and  neatly  dug  to  complete  the  spring 
business.  Every  part  of  the  squares,  borders  and 
walks,  should  be  cleared  up  at  the  earliest  opportu- 
nity ;  if  deferred,  it  will  be  likely  to  interfere  with 
the  whole  nursery  business  for  the  summer  season. 
When  the  ground  is  cleared,  every  part  of  it  should 
be  neatly  dug.  In  digging  the  ground  for  planting 
out  young  seedlings,  if  the  ground  to  be  planted  is 
naturally  poor,  some  good  rotten  manure  may  be 
added,  and  spread  regularly  over  the  ground.  This 
done,  a  trench  of  one  spade  deep  and  wide,  may  be 
taken  out  at  one  end  and  wheeled  to  the  other  ;  this 
done,  commence  digging  regularly  across  the  piece 
turning  the  earth  from  the  shade  upside  down,  and 
leaving  the  surface  rough  as  it  leaves  the  spade. 
The  method  pursued  by  many  persons,  of  working 
the  surface  of  the  earth  fine  and  even,  is  bad,  be- 
cause the  rains  beat  down  the  surface  hard,  and  in 
a  great  measure,  prevent  the  sun  and  air  from  ex- 
erting their  influence  on  the  roots  of  the  trees  when 
planted.  The  ground  also  becomes  baked  hard  and 
is  more  troublesome  to  work  with  the  hoe  than  when 
left  in  a  rough  state. 


SPRING    MANAGEMENT.  63 

ART.  4. — O/i  Planting  out  Seedlings,  <^c. 

When  the  nursery  is  cleared  of  rubbish,  the 
ground  dug,  and  preparation  made,  the  planting  out 
of  seedlings  may  be  done  in  the  following  manner  : 
the  ground  being  prepared,  the  first  consideration  is 
the  distance  the  trees  are  to  be  planted  apart,  be- 
tween the  rows,  and  in  the  rows.  This  must  in  a 
measure,  depend  on  the  kinds  to  be  planted,  and 
the  time  they  are  to  be  allowed  to  grow  in  the  nur- 
sery. It  is  rather  difficult  to  decide  on  this  very 
important  point  in  the  nursery  business ;  for  it  is 
certain,  the  distance  allowed  for  the  growing  of 
young  trees  in  their  infant  state,  has  a  great  bearing 
on  their  forming  into  a  proper  state  for  a  bearing 
tree.  The  distance  allowed  between  trees  in  the 
nursery  by  many  growers,  I  consider  to  be  too 
great,  as  the  object  of  many  persons  is  to  cultivate 
between  the  rows  with  a  horse,  in  order  to  save  ex- 
pense. This,  I  consider  bad  economy,  as  in  the 
first  place,  much  ground  is  occupied  ;  and  seconly, 
there  is  much  surface  of  ground  to  cultivate,  which 
gives  additional  labor.  By  trees  being  too  far  apart 
in  their  infant  state,  they  neither  grow  nor  form  into 
healthy  vigorous  plants.  Young  seedlings  should  be 
planted  sufficiently  thick,  so  that  the  ground  may  give 
a  good  revenue  when  they  are  taken  from  it.  If  it 
will  not  admit  of  this  by  the  best  cultivation,  the 
business  is  not  worth  pursuing.  I  am  well  aware 
that  this  view  will  be  opposed  by  many  on  the  ground 
that  the  more  a  young  tree  is  exposed  and  the  less 
it  is  nursed  in  its  infant  state,  the  better  it  will  thrive 
when  exposed  and  planted  for  bearing.  If  this  be 
true,  a  "  Nursery  "  is  a  misnomer,  and  culture  use- 


64  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

less.  And  if  we  call  in  nature  for  a  decision,  we 
shall  find  that  young  seedlings  of  all  denominations 
of  trees,  always  form  into  the  most  stately  habit 
when  chance  places  the  seed  in  a  rich  soil,  where  it 
is  partly  secured  from  cold  blast  by  a  natural  pro- 
tection ;  and  where  the  soil  is  uniform  in  moisture, 
that  it  is  to  say,  not  inundated  by  wet  or  parched 
with  drought,  as  the  natural  changes  of  the  weather 
may  happen*  For  most  kinds  of  young  trees  to  be 
planted  in  the  nursery,  as  the  apple,  pear,  cherry, 
&c.,  the  distance  of  two  feet  between  the  rows, 
and  eighteen  inches  in  the  row,  will,  I  think  answer 
a  good  purpose.  Other  trees  of  a  more  dwarf  habit, 
as  the  plum  or  peach,  may  be  planted  thicker,  ac- 
cording to  their  size  ;  which  can  be  judged  of  by 
an  intelligent  person. 


CHAPTER  V. 

SUMMER*  MANAGEMENT  IN  THE  NURSERY. 

ART.  1. — Hoeing  and  Clearing  the  Ground. 

In  the  month  of  June  or  July,  or  as  soon  as  any 
weeds  begin  to  make  their  appearance,  every  part  of 
the  nursery  should  have  a  good  hoeing,  and  if  there 
be  any  large  weeds  of  the  perennial  kinds,  as  couch- 
grass,  thistle  or  such  troublesome  cumberers  of  the 
soil,  they  should  be  immediately  taken  from  the 
ground  and  either  burnt  or  taken  to  some  place  to 
rot  and  depay,  to  be  again  returned  to  the  soil  as 


SUMMER    MANAGEMENT.  65 

manure.  Advantage  should  be  taken  to  do  this  kind 
of  work  on  fine,  dry  days  when  the  weeds  may  per- 
ish shortly  after  being  severed  from  the  soil  :  and  if 
there  be  a  quantity  of  seedlings  it  will  be  well  to  give 
the  ground  a  good  rough  raking  after  the  hoe,  to 
bring  the  young  tender  weeds  on  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  in  order  that  the  sun  may  act  on  them  and 
that  they  may  shortly  die,  and  not  again  re-establish 
themselves  in  the  soil.  At  this  time  also  every  walk 
should  be  examined,  hoed  and  cleared,  so  that  every 
part  of  the  nursery  has  a  cleaH  and  orderly  appear- 
ance. 

^The  trees  should  also  be  gone  over  and  divested 
of  any  insects  or  other  nuisances  that  retard  their 
growth. 

ART.  2. — Summer  Pruning  and  supporting  young 
Trees. 

When  young  trees  have  nearly  made  their  sum- 
mer growth,  which  is  at  the  end  of  July,  or  begin- 
ning of  August,  they  should  be  pruned  of  all  useless 
shoots  ;  for  this  purpose  a  sharp  knife  may  be  used, 
and  great  care  should  be  taken  that  the  wounds  are 
cut  clean  so  that  they  may  heal  freely.  When  the  in- 
cision is  badly  done  with  rough  edged  tools,  it  is 
seldom  that  they  form  a  callous  readily,  and  often 
the  part  becomes  cankered,  turns  black  and  is  other- 
wise injured,  so  that  the  connecting  limbs  or  plants 
are  affected,  and  from  thence  in  many  cases  the  in- 
jury extends  to  every  part  of  the  tree.  Where  trees 
are  intended -to  be  made  standards  of  five  or  six 
feet  from  dwarfs  that  have  strong  leading  shoots, 
this  is  a  more  proper  time  to  prune  off  the  under 
5 


66  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

shoots  than  either  the  fall  or  spring,  for  the  wounds 
heal  more  freely,  and  the  currents  of  sap  flow  more 
abundantly  to  the  top  of  the  tree,  as  it  is  not  retard- 
ed and  retained  so  much  in  its  ascent  by  the  under 
shoots. 

Newly  inoculated  and  grafted  trees  should  now  be 
carefully  looked  over  and  any  luxuriant  shoots,  that 
are  impoverishing  the  bud  or  graft  should  be  taken 
from  the  tree.  This  is  a  part  of  nursery  business 
generally  too  much  neglected  ;  for  in  many  instances 
inoculated  and  grafted  trees  are  neglected  by  allow- 
ing young  wood  to  grow  from  the  stock  under  and 
over  the  graft  or  bud,  and  the  consequence  is  that 
the  buds  or  grafts  are  impoverished  by  being  deprived 
of  the  sap  which  should  flow  into  them  from  the 
stock.  Every  attention  should  now  also  be  paid  in 
disbudding  or  breaking  off  useless  growing  wood, 
and  cleansing  the  trees  from  insects  as  they  appear. 

When  young  trees  are  slender  in  their  growth  and 
require  to  be  supported  by  stakes  it  should  now  be 
done,  by  placing  straight  stakes  of  a  convenient 
height  near  to  them,  and  the  slender  shoots  may  be 
tied  up  in  a  neat  manner  with  bass  or  other  strings  : 
indeed  everything  should  now  be  done  in  the  sup- 
porting slender  branches  of  trees,  pruning,  &c.,  re- 
quired in  the  nursery. 


FALL    MANAGEMENT*  6? 


CHAPTER  VI. 


FALL  MANAGEMENT  OF  1'HE  NURSERY. 

ART.  1. — Destroying  Weeds  in  Jlutumn. 

MUCH  of  the  success  of  the  nursery  depends  on 
the  fall  management,  which  by  many  persons  is  little 
attended  to.  To  clear  the  ground  in  the  spring  and 
summer  has  but  little  bearing  on  the  well  being  of 
young  fruit  trees,  if  they  are  is  not  well  attended  to 
in  the  fall  ;  for  when  weeds  are  allowed  to  remain 
and  distribute  their  seeds  on  the  ground,  in  the  fall, 
the  nursery  may  be  considered  more  a  nursery  of 
weeds  and  nuisances,  than  a  spot  of  ground  adapted 
and  managed  for  the  growing  young  trees  in  a  healthy 
and  vigorous  state. 

Supposing  the  fall  management  to  begin  with  the 
month  of  September  ;  the  principal  thing  to  be  done 
at  that  time  is  to  clear  the  ground  of  all  kinds  of 
weeds  that  are  in  a  state  for  seeding  and  encumber 
the  ground  ;  the  cultivator  should  also  be  aware 
that  weeds  when  taken  from  the  ground  before  they 
have  seeded,  do  not  exhaust  the  soil  of  nutriment  so 
much  as  when  they  have  become  ripe  ;  for  when 
weeds  are  even  cut  off  when  green  and  the  roots  re- 
main in  the  ground,  they  absorb  from  the  atmosphere 
much  nutriment  which  they  return  to  the  soil.  Hence 
the  propriety  of  clearing  the  ground  of  them  is  not  to 
be  doubted,  therefore  at  this  season  clear  the  ground 
of  all  kinds  of  weeds  and  anything  that  may  either  be 
considered  as  a  nuisance,  or  creative  of  vermin  or 


68  frUlTI?    GARDEN    COMPANION, 


insects,  or  any  thing  that  may  in  future  be  an  injury 
to  the  plants. 

And  here  let  me  remind  the  cultivator  that  it  is 
in  the  fall  that  many  kinds  of  insects  are  concealed 
in  a  chrysalis  state,  and  are  there  awaiting  the  re- 
turn of  spring  or  the  stronger  influence  of  the 
sun  to  hatch  them  into  life,  Most  of  the  old  kind  of 
decayed  vegetables,  especially  those  of  a  gross  porous 
nature  are  the  very  cradles  that  hatch  many  kinds  of 
insects  into  life,  and  lull  the  dormant  chrysalis  dur- 
ing winter  in  protected  repose.  Hence  it  is  evident 
that  the  removal  of  such  nuisance  is  indispensably 
necessary,  in  order  to  counteract  a  greater  evil. 

ART;  2.  —  Covering  and  Protecting  Trees. 

Many  kinds  of  young  and  tender  trees,  require  to 
be  protected  or  guarded  from  the  winter's  severity, 
as  the  foreign  grape,  young  seedlings,  cuttings,  and 
those  plants  that  are  not  well  established  and  rooted 
into  the  soil.  The  time  of  doing  this  is  generally 
about  the  middle  of  November  or  a  few  days  pre- 
vious to  the  setting  in  of  the  winter.  The  grape 
vines  and  raspberry  canes  may  be  laid  down  into  the 
ground  as  directed  under  their  proper  heads  of  cul- 
ture of  the  grape.  Seedlings  may  be  protected  if  in 
narrow  beds,  by  placing  a  quantity  of  leaves  among 
them  and  then  throwing  on  each  side  a  quantity  of 
light  earth  in  order  to  keep  it  compact  about  their 
stems.  Young  cuttings  or  other  dwarf  plants  that 
require  protection  may  be  secured  by  placing  about 
their  stems  a  quantity  of  rotten  manure,  leaf  mould, 
or  other  substance  about  six  or  eight  inches  high, 
so  as  to  well  protect  the  roots  and  keep  the  feeble 


FALL    MANAGEMENT.  69 

plants  from  being  drawn  from  the  ground.  Any 
kinds  of  trees  that  require  protecting  during  the  win- 
ter in  their  branches  may  be  done  at  this  season,  ac- 
cording to  the  methods  laid  down  under  the  article 
of  "  Protecting  Trees"  in  the  Miscellany.  Indeed 
everything  should  be  done  at  this  time  preparatory 
to  the  coming  winter,  in  the  neatest  and  most  care* 
ful  manner. 

Many  kinds  of  dwarf  trees,  that  are  too  tender  to 
bejexposed  to  the  winter  may  be  protected  above 
ground,  by  placing  straw  or  an  old  mat  about  their 
branches,  and  binding  it  closely  either  by  a  strong 
string  or  wisp  of  ,ozier  or  other  tough  pliable  wood, 


PART  THIRD. 

THE    FRUIT    GARDEN    AND    ORCHARD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ON    THE    MANAGEMENT    OF    TREES. 

ART.  1. — On  the  Selection  of  Fruit. 

IN  the  selection  of  the  different  kinds  of  fruit,  the 
orchardist  or  planter  should  consider  that  the  plant- 
ing of  fruit  is  not  merely  a  temporary  speculation  ; 
but,  a  process  that  is  always  expensive  at  the  com- 
mencement ;  and  that  the  after  value  that  will  acrue 
from  it,  will  generally  be  according  to  the  adaptation 
and  selection  of  the  ground  to  be  planted.  Hence 
it  will  appear  that  the  capital  invested  will  return  a 
certain  per  centum,  in  accordance  with  the  judicious 
selection  of  the  ground,  and  making  a  proper  choice 
of  good  kinds. 

In  order  to  give  every  facility  to  the  selection  of 
the  most  proper  kinds  of  fruit,  I  have  been  more 
limited  in  my  descriptive  list  than  usual  in  such 
books.  The  object  here  kept  in  view  has  been  to 
recommend  none  but  those  kinds  that  have  been 
proved  to  possess  such  qualities  as  render  them 
deserving  a  place  in  the  fruit  garden  or  orchard  un- 


FRUIT  GARDEN  AND  ORCHARD.        71 

der  common  culture  :  and  here  let  it  be  understood 
that  many  kinds  of  superior  qualities  have  not  been 
described  which  require  skilful  culture  ;  for  although 
their  superior  qualities  demand  for  them  every  re- 
fcornmendation,  it  is  under  the  care  of  the  connoi- 
seur  and  scientific  gardener  only,  that  they  can  be 
cultivated  to  any  advantage.* 

ART.   2.  —  Location    of   the    Fruit    Garden    or 
Orchard. 

The  spot  of  land  chosen  for  the  fruit  department 
will  require  to  be  sheltered  from  the  north  and  north- 
west wind,  which  are  always  injurious  to  fruit  planta- 
tions when  in  blossom.  If  it  be  so  located  as  to  lay 
a  little  descending  to  the  southeast  quarter  the  bet- 
ter, as  in  that  situation  it  will  receive  the  influence 
of  the  sun  in  the  early  part  of  the  spring,  so  con- 
genial in  most  cases  to  the  growth  and  maturing  of 
fruit.  The  nature  of  the  soil  should  have  the  next 
consideration  of  the  planter.  A  rich  mellow  loam, 
with  a  moderate  dry,  loamy  sub-soil  or  bottom, 
with  an  even  surface,  that  the  water  may  not  collect 
in  the  fall  and  spring  arid  saturate  the  soil,  will  be 
found  to  answer  most  kinds  of  fruit.  There  are 
yearly  many  thousands  of  fruit  trees  totally  destroy- 
ed by  being  placed  in  a  location  where  the  trees  are 
always  saturated  with  water. 

The  plot  of  ground  being  fixed  upon,  the  next 
consideration  is  the  preparing  it  for  planting,  which  I 
consider  a  very  important  point,  and  deserving  much 

*To  such  persons  as  are  about  to  make  fruit  plantations;  it  is  re- 
commended that  their  selections  be  made  from  respectable  nurseries, 
and  from  those  which  are  famed  for  superior  kinds. 


72         FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

more  attention  than   is  generally  bestowed  on   the 
subject. 

ART.  3. — Preparing  the  Ground. 

The  preparing  of  ground  for  the  plantations  of 
fruit  is  so  simple  that  it  would  appear  to  require  lit- 
tle comment  at  this  place  ;  but  as  the  subject  is  gen- 
erally but  little  attended  to,  it  will  be  proper  to 
throw  out  a  few  hints  to  the  inexperienced  planter. 

In  the  first  place  the  ground  should  be  well  work- 
ed a  year  or  two  previous  to  the  planting,  so  that 
the  earth  is  well  pulverized  in  order  to  cling  to 
the  fibrous  roots  of  the  tree :  for,  if  the  soil  is 
rough,  adhesive,  and  not  mellow,  the  fine  fibrous 
roots  cannot  come  into  contact  with  the  nutriment  it 
contains,  and  so  soon  as  the  hot  weather  sets  in,  the 
earth  dries,  and  finally  the  process  of  vegetation  is 
greatly  retarded  and  in  many  cases  the  trees  die. 
Every  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  cleansing  of 
the  land  of  all  kinds  of  perennial  weeds,  as  the  dock, 
couch-grass  and  the  like  ;  it  should  also  be  cleansed 
of  any  stones  or  other  unnecessary  rubbish  ;  a  quan- 
tity of  well  rotted  manure  should  be  well  worked 
and  mixed  with  the  soil,  and  every  thing  done  to  put 
the  ground  in  the  very  best  order  one  year  previous 
to  making  the  plantation. 

ART.  4. —  On  Planting  Fruit  Trees. 

Before  I  speak  of  the  practice  of  planting,  I 
shall  make  a  few  cursory  remarks.  The  planting  of 
fruit  trees  being  for  no  other  purpose  than  utility,  it 
is  necessary  that  every  precaution  should  be  used 


FRUIT  GARDEN  AND  ORCHARD.        73 

to  forward  the  intended  purpose  by  the  best  means. 
I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  many  trees,  and  indeed 
sometimes  whole  plantations  of  fruit,  are  often  total- 
ly spoiled  by  improper  treatment  when  young.  By 
due  observation  it  will  be  seen,  that  trees  have  a 
great  resemblance  to  animals  in  their  infant  state, 
namely,  in  requiring  proper  nourishment  to  expand 
their  proper  functions,  in  order  to  form  a  strong, 
healthy  subject  at  a  future  period.  And  secondly, 
the  planter  will  recollect  that  his  object  is  to  culti- 
vate such  fruits  only  as  are  of  a  good  quality, 
which  have  mostly  been  obtained  by  a  high  state  of 
cultivation,  and  can  only  be  obtained  in  a  healthy 
state  by  the  best  of  culture. 

Before  I  enter  on  the  planting  of  fruit  trees,  it 
will  be  proper  to  say  a  few  words  on  the  selection 
of  the  trees,  which  I  consider  very  essential,  as 
those  that  are  in  a  diseased  or  cankery  state  when 
young,  seldom  grow  and  form  into  strong,  healthy 
trees. 

Tn  the  selection  of  trees  the  first  thing  to  be  at- 
tended to  is  to  examine  them  well  and  choose  those 
which  have  a  clean,  straight  stem,  and  without  any 
canker,  wound,  or  other  defect.  The  top  should  be 
of  a  regular  expansion,  and  the  branches  equally 
dividing  themselves  so  that  an  equilibrium  is  pre- 
served from  the  crown  of  the  stem  in  every  part  to 
the  top  of  the  tree.  The  roots  should  be  regular 
and  have  a  quantity  of  small  fibres  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  leaders.  And  here  let  me  remind  the 
reader  that  every  care  in  taking  up  the  tree  should 
be  used,  that  those  are  not  cut  off,  for  the  loss  of 
them  will  greatly  retard  the  growth  of  the  tree  the 
first  year,  as  it  will  in  such  cases  have  to  make 


74        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

them  anew  before  it  can  make  any  growth.  When 
fibrous  roots  are  cut  off,  the  tree  itself  may  be 
considered  as  merely  a  cutting,  which  must  form  its 
roots  from  the  base  before  it  can  grow  to  any  size 
and  make  the  wonted  efforts  of  vegetation  designed 
by  nature. 

The  planting  of  fruit  requires  more  practical 
knowledge  and  particular  attention  than  is  generally 
apprehended  by  the  inexperienced  cultivator.  From 
mismanagement  in  planting  may  be  often  traced,  not 
only  a  lingering  and  unfruitful  growth  of  the  tree, 
but,  in  many  cases,  little  effort  in  vegetation  after 
planting  and  the  certain  death  of  the  tree  in  a  few 
years.  This  defect  may  sometimes  be  traced  to 
planting  too  deep,  which  in  my  practice  I  have 
found  a  universal  error  in  fruit  trees  planted  in  small 
city  gardens,  and  other  places,  when  it  has  been 
done  by  inexperienced  hands.  Planting  too.  deep 
is  more  particularly  exemplified  in  the  apple,  the 
cherry,  and  those  kinds  of  trees  whose  roots  natu- 
rally grow  near  the  earth's  surface.  Deep  planting 
brings  such  roots  into  a  location  where  they  cannot 
receive  their  wonted  stimulants,  as  the  influence  of 
the  sun  and  air  ;  and  the  food  that  is  conveyed  to 
them  under  such  circumstances  is  in  a  crude,  acrid 
state,  and  destitute  of  those  fertilizing  qualities  it 
would  acquire  nearer  the  earth's  surface.  This 
consequence  will  always  happen  to  trees  planted  too 
deep,  as  the  cherry,  apple,  and  indeed  all  kinds  that 
do  not  strike  roots  from  the  main  stem,  as  the  wil- 
low, button-ball,  and  many  kinds  of  forest  trees,  and 
shrubs,  which,  when  planted  too  deep,  lose  their 
original  roots,  and  replace  them  from  the  stem  near 
the  earth's  surface.  In  contrariety  to  the  above. 


FRUIT  GARDEN  AND  ORCHARD.       75 

there  is  a  frequent  error  in  planting  trees,  which 
is,  that  their  roots  are  planted  too  shallow,  so  that 
the  drought  affects  their  fibrous  roots,  and  they 
cannot  cling  to  and  draw  nutriment  from  the  soil  ; 
they  are,  therefore,  eventually  dried  up,  and  the  fol- 
lowing season,  the  main  roots  have  to  produce  new 
fibres  to  draw  nutriment  from  the  soil. 

The  true  system  for  planting  trees  is  to  follow 
their  natural  depth  and  location  as  much  as  possible, 
which  can  easily  he  obtained  by  examining  the  depth 
and  natural  position  of  the  roots  before  removal. 

In  the  many  authors  I  have  perused,  I  have  not 
read  any  satisfactory  description  of  a  method  of  plant- 
ing fruit  trees.  They  all  agree  that  the  hole  intend- 
ed for  the  tree  should  be  dug  larger  than  the  circum- 
ference of  its  roots,  in  order  to  give  it  a  free 
expansion  without  cramping  in  the  hole,  which  is 
often  the  case  in  inexperienced  hands.  The  next 
point  agreed  upon  is  the  breaking  up,  mixing  and 
pulverizing  the  bottom  of  the  hole,  so  that  the  under 
tier  of  roots  may  strike  freely,  and  quickly  be  estab- 
lished in  the  soil  :  after  this  preparation,  the  plant- 
ing is  recommended  to  be  done,  by  placing  the  tree 
in  the  centre  of  the  hole,  filling  it  up  about  halfway, 
and  then  gently  shaking  it  upwards  in  order  to  draw 
the  roots  in  their  proper  position,  and  treading  close 
the  fine  earth  to  them.  This  method  is  not  correct 
either  in  theory  or  practice  ;  for  in  most  cases  the 
roots  must  most  certainly  be  forced  out  of  their 
natural  position,  in  the  first  place,  by  pressing  the 
upper  tier  of  roots  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole  with 
the  earth  and  treading,  which  should  according  to 
their  natural  position,  be  placed  near  the  earth's  sur- 
face ;  in  the  second  place,  the  roots  are  drawn  up  and 


76  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

pressed  down  by  the  shaking  the  tree,  and,  instead 
of  their  laying  in  a  regular  expanded  horizontal  man- 
ner, if  examined,  will  be  found  to  be  bent  in  an  ir- 
regular manner  :  the  over  treading  also  displaces  the 
roots,  and  the  consequence  is,  that  many  of  the  best 
fibrous  roots,  being  partly  injured  and  out  of  their 
natural  position,  either  die  or  have  to  make  new 
roots  from  their  leaders,  in  order  to  draw  a  proper 
nourishment  to  support  the  tree.  Hence  many  fruit 
trees,  after  planting,  remain  for  several  years  in  an 
almost  dormant  state,  when  fruit-buds  are  formed 
instead  of  wood-buds,  which,  if  allowed  to  flower  and 
bear  fruit,  will  dwarf  the  tree  so  that  it  never  as- 
sumes the  size  and  habit  it  would  acquire  if  properly 
planted  at  first. 

When  a  fruit  tree  is  desired  to  form  into  a  large 
handsome  shape,  every  exertion  should  be  used  to 
encourage  the  growth  into  a  strong  luxuriant  habit, 
and  not  to  retard  it  in  its  infant  state  by  allowing 
it  to  bear  fruit,  which  always  exhausts  the  sap  that 
should  feed  the  leaves,  branches  and  like  members 
of  growth  that  are  essential  to  form  the  habit  of  the 
tree.  In  the  practice  of  planting  fruit  trees,  the 
operator  should  make  himself  well  acquainted  with 
the  natural  growth  and  habit  of  both  the  roots  and 
branches  of  the  tree  :  for  it  will  be  found  that  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  trees,  have  quite  a  contrary  natural 
position  of  their  roots  ;  for  instance,  as  before  stated, 
the  cherry  and  apple  tree  roots  are  near  the  surface 
of  the  soil,  whilst  the  pear  perforates  much  deeper 
into  the  subsoil.  All  these  positions  should  be  care- 
fully examined  and  understood  before  planting,  for 
it  is  in  vain  to  reverse  the  position  of  roots  to  any 
good  purpose  ;  indeed  when  it  is  done  it  is  an  act 


FRUIT  GARDEN  AND  ORCHARD.        77 

of  violence  imposed  on  nature  and  its  ill  effects  will 
soon  be  discerned  in  the  tree. 

In  the  practice  of  planting,  I  recommend  that  the 
natural  position  of  the  root  of  the  tree  be  examined, 
the  hole  dug  wider  than  their  circumference,  the 
bottom  of  it  well  broken  up,  the  tree  placed  in  the 
centre,  and  the  bottom  tier  of  roots  placed  in  an  ex- 
tended manner  ;  then  apply  some  fine  earth  over 
them  as  a  covering,  being  careful  that  no  cavity  is 
left  under  the  bole  of  the  tree  ;  after  this  layer  of 
roots  is  properly  placed  and  covered,  then  prepare 
to  lay  the  upper  tier  in  their  natural  expanded  posi- 
tion, being  careful  not  to  cramp  or  bend  them,  but 
let  their  fibres  be  fully  extended  ;  this  done,  fill  up 
the  hole  with  well  pulverized  earth  a  little  above  the 
surface,  and  rather  highest  near  the  stem  in  order  to 
let  off  excessive  moisture  from  the  roots  of  the  tree  ; 
the  surface  may  then  be  gently  trod  and  the  work  is 
done.  That  the  tree  should  be  supported  by  stakes, 
and  the  ground  kept  in  good  order,  are  requisites  too 
well  known  to  require  any  comment,  only  that  they 
should  be  attentively  and  strictly  seen  to  at  all  times 
when  needed. 

ART.  5. —  On  the  Pruning  and  Formation  of  Fruit 
Trees. 

To  form  a  tree  properly  it  will  require  to  be 
pruned  and  regulated  when  young,  in  order  to  bring 
it  into  a  proper  shape  and  fruitfulnes.s.  Supposing  the 
tree  to  be  two  or  three  years  old  from  the  graft  or 
bud,  a  head  must  be  formed  at  the  intended  height 
by  heading  it  down  in  the  spring  to  two  or  three 
buds  or  eyes  in  each  shoot  that  is  near  the  crown 
when  the  young  shoots  begin  to  grow  ;  they  may  be 


78         FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

taken  off  to  three  or  four  in  number  of  the  strongest 
and  healthiest,  as  they  are  intended  to  form  the 
tree.  During  the  summer  the  young  shoots  may  be 
cleared  of  any  filth  or  insects  that  may  be  detrimen- 
tal to  them.  In  the  following  spring  the  trees  must 
be  pruned  in  such  a  manner  as  to  form  a  regular 
handsome  head.  It  will  be  recollected  that  is  the  the 
proper  time  to  form  a  handsome  tree,  as  each  branch 
being  formed  from  a  common  centre,  draws  sap  in 
proportion  to  its  luxuriance  ;  and  they  afterwards 
form  lateral  or  side  shoots  in  proportion  to  their 
vigor  ;  therefore  it  must  be  evident  to  any  intelligent 
observer  that  the  formation  of  a  tree  in  its  infant 
state  is  of  the  greatest  importance. 

It  will  be  often  seen  that  one  shoot  is  much  more 
luxuriant  than  another,  which  is  owing  to  its  being 
of  a  more  succulent  nature,  and  consequently  draws 
a  greater  portion  of  sap  :  by  heading  down  those 
shoots  to  three  or  four  eyes  in  the  spring  the  luxuri- 
ance will  be  divided  into  so  many  parts,  and  bring  it 
on  a  balance  with  the  other  parts  of  the  tree.    This 
method  may  be  continued  for  two   or  three  years, 
when  the  habit  or  shape  of  the  tree  will  be  seen. 
The  port  or  habit  of  fruit  trees  should  be  considered  ; 
as  the  laws  of  nature  are  not  easily  reversed  to  any 
advantage,  consequently  they  should  be  as  much  as 
possible    cherished,    for    by   practical    observation 
(which  is  always  the  best  guide  to  perfection,)  it  will 
be  seen  that  some  trees  grow  in  a  pyramidal  form, 
some  weeping,  others  conical,  and  some  forma  regu- 
lar head  of  an  even  circumference  at    the    bottom, 
and  tapering   on  the    top    in  the  form  of  a  dome. 
The  first  of  these   habits,  the  pyramid,  is   beauti- 
fully exemplified  in  the  young  trees  of  the  button-ball 


FRUIT  GARDEN  AND  ORCHARD.       79 

and  some  varieties  of  the  cherry  ;  the  second,  the 
weeping,  in  the  weeping  willow  and  the  native  Ame- 
rican elm  ;  the  third,  forming  the  shape  of  a  dome, 
is  generally  represented  in  most  kind  of  apple  trees, 
and  the  conical  is  often  beautifully  represented  in 
the  cherry  and  many  kinds  of  pears  when  young. 
To  this  kind  of  port  or  habit  of  trees  there  are  many 
exceptions  or  at  least  variations,  which  never  fail  to 
happen  as  the  trees  are  far  advanced  in  years ;  for 
although  all  these  different  habits  will  appear  in  trees 
when  in  their  youth  or  healthy  state  of  growth,  old 
age  will  deform  them  a  limb  at  a  time  until  their 
symmetry  is  entirely  lost. 

In  the  act  of  pruning,  the  first  thing  to  be  attend- 
ed to,  is  the  port  or  habit  of  the  tree,  which  should 
in  all  cases  be  kept  in  its  natural  order  by  pruning  it 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  encourage  the  most  healthy 
parts  of  the  tree.  The  next  thing  to  be  attended 
to,  is  in  procuring  proper  tools  for  the  purpose, 
which  should  be  of  the  best  quality. 

In  pruning  trees,  it  should  be  recollected  that  all 
shoots  which  are  amputated  from  the  tree  whilst 
young,  heal  their  wounds  better  than  when  old,  and 
that  the  shoots  should 'be  so  taken  off,  as  to  leave 
the  wound  on  the  tree  in  a  sloping  manner  down- 
wards, to  let  off  the  water  freely.  Water  settling 
on  the  wounds  of  trees,  often  saturates  and  decays 
them,  and  also  the  trunk  of  the  tree. 

ART.  6. — On  Thinning  and  Regulating  Fruit . 

Much  might  be  said  on  the  subject  of  thinning 
fruit ;  indeed,  in  some  cases,  it  may  be  said  to  be 


80  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

one  of  the  principal  requisites  in  horticulture,  though 
almost  universally  neglected. 

Before  I  proceed  to  the  method  of  thinning  fruit, 
I  beg  leave  to  state  that  my  object  is  to  consider  the 
subject  in  reference  to  its  most  extensive  branch, 
namely,  the  thinning  of  all  kinds  of  fruit  on  trees, 
vines,  <$*c.  I  must  direct  the  reader  to  that  best 
criterion  of  horticulture,  the  natural  properties  of 
trees  and  vegetables.  By  due  observation  it  will  be 
seen  that  fruit,  as  cherries,  plums,  pears  and  apples, 
are  generally  the  best  in  flavor  when  the  crop  is 
thin  ;  and  the  crop  in  the  following  season  in  such 
cases  is  pretty  certain,  if  it  is  not  injured  by  the 
blight  and  other  local  causes.  On  the  contrary,  when 
trees  are  thickly  loaded,  the  fruit  is  not  so  good  in 
quality  and  flavor,  and  the  crop  in  the  succeeding 
year  is  very  uncertain  ;  the  latter  case  is  often  ex- 
emplified in  trees  which  bear  alternately  every  other 
year.  I  think  no  person  will  deny  the  correctness 
of  the  above  assertions,  nor,  that  it  can  be  in  a  mea- 
sure obviated  by  the  thinning  and  regulating  of  fruit. 
Practical  gardeners  well  know  that  peach  trees, 
grape  vines,  and  all  kinds  of  fruit  trees  forced  under 
glass,  bear  regular  crops  of  fruit  without  intermission 
for  many  years,  and  that  such  trees  and  vines  are 
always  thinned  of  such  fruit  as  is  considered  super- 
fluous. Instances  might  be  quoted  where  fruit  grows 
almost  natural,  which  is  destitute  of  that  richness  of 
flavor  it  would  acquire  if  the  tree  had  been  thinned. 
I  do  not  recollect  of  seeing  the  plum  bear  so  free 
and  thrive  so  well  at  any  place  as  at  Albany,  New 
York,  which  place  appears  to  be  quite  congenial  to 
this  fruit  ;  the  gages,  magnum  bonum,  and  all  the 
finer  varieties,  are  found  there  in  abundance.  But  I 


FRUIT  GARDEN  AND  ORCHARD.       81 

cannot  say  that  the  flavor  was  so  rich  as  might  be 
expected,  which  I  think  is  partly  owing  to  the  trees 
being  heavily  loaded  every  other  year. 

To  give  any  precise  rule  for  the  thinning  of  fruit 
would  far  exceed  my  prescribed  limits,  and  indeed 
it  would  be  rather  a  difficult  task  ;  therefore  I  shall 
endeavor  to  hit  upon  some  medium  which  shall  be 
satisfactory  and  clear. 

Vegetables  and  trees,  like  animals,  have  their 
different  stages  of  life,  as  youth,  maturity,  old  age, 
and  decay  ;  this  must  be  considered  in  thinning  of 
fruit.  Young  trees  will  be  found  most  capable  of 
maturing  a  heavy  crop  of  fruit ;  and  generally  it 
is  seen  that  they  have  the  most  moderate  produce. 
Old  trees,  on  the  contrary,  are  the  least  capable  of 
maturing  a  heavy  crop,  which  they  mostly  bear  : — 
hence  it  would  appear  that  young  trees  do  not  re- 
quire so  much  thinning  as  those  in  years  :  but  in 
most  cases  they  should  be  attended  to.  It  may 
here  be  observed  that  where  young  trees  are  in  a 
luxuriant  state,  all  the  fruit  should  be  allowed  to 
remain  on  the  tree  in  order  to  reduce  it  to  a  proper 
state  ;  and  that  very  old  trees  should  be  thinned  of 
their  fruit  in  proportion  to  the  strength  of  the  tree, 
which  is  generally  feeble. 

Young  trees  often  bear  fruit  the  first  year  of  plant- 
ing, in  consequence  of  their  being  checked  in  growth 
by  removal ;  but  in  this  case  the  fruit  should  always 
be  taken  off,  or  the  tree  will  be  much  exhausted  and 
retarded  in  its  growth  at  a  time  when  it  should  have 
every  effort  afforded  to  nourish  and  cause  it  to 
strike  root  and  establish  itself  in  a  healthy  manner. 


82  FRUIT    GARDEN  COMPANION. 

CHAPTER  II. 

ON  THE  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  BERRIES* 

ART.  I. -^-General  Remarks. 

THE  currant,  raspberry,  strawberry  and  goose- 
berry, are  examples  of  the  most  useful  kind  of  ber- 
ries. A  berry  may  be  defined  as  a  pulpy  substance, 
containing  small  stones  or  seed  ;  and  ripening  with 
a  pleasant  acid  taste,  and  in  most  cases,  when  in  a 
wild  state,  serves  as  food  for  birds  :  when  highly 
cultivated  it  is  mostly  valuable  for  the  dessert,  and 
is  used  in  domestic  cookery  in  many  ways  hereafter 
described  under  the  different  heads. 

ART.  2.— -On  the  Culture  of  the  Strawberry. 

Its  origin  and  useful  properties. — The  strawberry 
derives  its  English  name  from  the  custom  originally 
followed  of  putting  straw  under  the  plants  when  in 
fruit,  to  protect  it  from  being  spoiled  by  the  ground, 
which  rot  it  in  moist  weather. 

The  botanical  name  Fragaria,  is  given  from  the 
fragrance  of  the  fruit,  which  is  said  to  sweeten  the 
breath,  remove  the  tartarious  substance  from  the 
teeth,  and  is  classed  by  physicians  among  their 
pleasant  remedies.  In  domestic  concerns  it  is  used 
in  many  ways  when  ripe  ;  it  forms  a  delicious  des- 
sert— is  used  with  cream,  and  preserved  in  many 
different  ways. 

Native  country  and  varieties. — The  species  of 
the  strawberry  are  numerous  and  its  varieties  are 


THE    STRAWBERRY.  83 

unlimited,  which  are  natives  of  North  America, 
Chili,  Hudson's  Bay,  England,  and  the  Alps.  Many 
species  are  designated  from  their  primitive  country 
or  place  of  growth. 

Soil  and  location.-— The  soil  best  adapted  to 
the  strawberry  is  a  rich,  mellow  loam,  and  if  a 
portion  of  sand  the  better.  The  location  should 
be  that  of  a  tolerably  moist  place,  well  exposed  to 
the  south  and  protected  on  the  north  quarter. 

Mode  of  propagation  and  culture. — -The  new 
varieties  of  strawberries  are  obtained  from  seed  of 
the  choice  kinds,  which  may  be  sown  in  boxes  or 
pots  filled  with  light  rich  earth  in  the  fall  ;  the  seed 
must  be  sown  very  shallow  and  lightly  covered  ;  the 
boxes  should  be  placed  where  they  are  partly  pro- 
tected in  the  winter  from  its  severity  ;  and  early  in 
the  spring  they  may  be  placed  in  a  frame  or  other 
place,  to  start  the  seed  into  growth  early. 

When  the  plants  are  grown  into  three  or  four  leaves 
they  should  be  pricked  out  into  a  nursery  bed,  in  a 
cool,  moist  situation,  partly  shaded  ;  and  in  the  fall 
they  may  be  planted  out  into  a  final  bed  for  fruiting, 
as  directed  for  general  culture.  The  method  of 
propagating  the  strawberry  is  from  the  runners  of 
the  mother  plant  in  the  fall.  This  may  be  greatly 
facilitated,  by  covering  the  earliest  plants  from  the 
vines  with  a  little  fine,  light,  rich  earth,  and  giving 
occasional  waterings,  in  order  to  make  the  young 
plants  root  freely.  By  this  method  the  plants  will 
be  much  stronger  for  planting  and  withstand  the  win- 
ter's severity  better ;  being  more  strongly  rooted  in 
the  ground,  they  will  not  be  so  liable  to  be  drawn 
out  by  the  frost. 

Planting  the    bed. — Previous   to  planting,   the 


84  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

ground  should  be  well  cleansed  of  any  perennial 
roots,  as  couch-grass,  dock,  &c.  ;  it  may  then  be 
well  manured  with  rotted  dung  and  dug  a  spade 
deep,  raked  off  even,  and  shallow  drills  drawn 
eighteen  inches  apart,  leaving  an  alley  of  two  or  two 
and  a  half  feet  between  every  three  rows,  for  the 
parting  of  the  beds.  Having  the  ground  prepared, 
the  plants  may  be  then  taken  up  and  dressed  by 
taking  from  them  any  dead  leaves,  and  shortening 
the  roots  with  a  sharp  knife.  The  plants  should  be 
dibbled  in  the  rows  from  twelve  to  fifteen  inches 
apart,  and  a  gentle  watering  given  immediately  after 
planting.  This  work  should,  if  possible,  be  per- 
formed of  an  evening  after  a  shower  of  rain,  as  the 
plants  will  then  strike  root  freely.  The  culture  of 
the  strawberry  is  simply  to  keep  the  ground  clear, 
by  hoeing,  raking,  &c.  in  spring  and  summer. 

After  the  strawberry  has  flowered  and  the  fruit 
begins  to  swell,  if  the  ground  is  very  dry,  the  bed 
should  have  two  or  three  good  waterings  in  order  to 
swell  the  fruit  in  good  perfection.  The  cause  of 
strawberries  bearing  light  crops  of  fruit  is  more 
owing  to  drought  than  any  thing  else  I  am  acquainted 
with. 

Ripening  the  fruit. — When  the  fruit  begins  to 
change  its  color,  some  short  grass  or  straw  may  be 
laid  under  the  vines  in  order  to  keep  the  fruit  from 
rotting  on  the  ground,  which  is  often  the  case,  espe- 
ally  in  wet  seasons.  When  the  fruit  is  all  picked 
and  the  plants  have  put  out  their  stoles  or  runners, 
the  beds  may  then  be  dressed  of  their  weeds  and 
any  litter,  by  cutting  off  all  the  runners  close  to  the 
stool,  hoeing  up  the  weeds,  and  raking  off  all  the 
rubbish  neatly  between  the  rows. 


THE    RASPBERRY.  85 

Winter  management. — The  strawberry  requires 
to  be  slightly  covered,  during  the  winter,  to  protect 
it  from  the  winter's  severity. 

The  following  paragraph  is  from  the  Cultivator, 
and  the  best  article  I  have  seen  on  the  manuring  the 
strawberry.  "  With  regard  to  the  manures  for  straw- 
berry beds,"  says  the  Editor,  "  such  are  to  be  pre- 
ferred as  are  cool,  and  from  the  seed  of  weeds.  Cow 
manure  is  preferable  to  that  of  horses.  Bone  dust 
and  horn  shavings  are  excellent,  if  not  applied  in 
too  large  large  quantities.  A  bushel  and  a  half  of 
either  should  go  as  far  as  a  load  of  long  dung.  For 
top-dressing  the  beds  in  autumn  there  is  nothing 
better  than  tan,  that  from  the  morocco  leather  being 
preferable.  The  tan  smothers  weeds,  keeps  the 
soil  moist,  the  berries  clean,  and  seems  withal  to 
afford  the  specific  food .  of  the]  plant.  It  is  re- 
commended to  cover  strawberry  beds  lightly  with 
straw,  in  the  spring,  and  l)urn  it  off,  which  destroys 
the  seed  of  weeds,  &c.  We  have  been  cruelly 
censured  for  this  recommendation,  by  one  who  un- 
wittingly burnt  piles  of  straw  upon  his  beds,  and 
consequently  destroyed  his  plants." 


ART.  3. — On  the  Culture  of  the  Raspberry. 

Origin  of  its  name  and  useful  qualities. — The 
raspberry  derived  its  English  name  from  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  fruit  to  a  rasp  or  file — its  botanical 
name  Rubus. 

The  raspberry  is  eaten  as  a  dessert  when  ripe,  and 
in  cookery  as  tarts  ;  it  is  preserved  in  jams  and  jel- 


86        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

lies,  and  a  very  pleasant  wine  is  made  from  the  ripe 
fruit.* 

The  raspberry  is  a  native  of  Great  Britain  and 
many  part£  of  Europe,  and  North  America.  Its  va- 
rieties are  numerous.  They  have  been  much  improv- 
ed by  raising  seedlings  by  cross  impregnating  with 
superior  kinds. 

The  raspberry  may  be  raised  from  seed  in  pre-  , 
cisely  the  same  manner  as  the  strawberry,  and  plant- 
ed in  a  fruiting  bed  in  the  usual  manner. 

Culture  and  Management. — The  raspberry  re- 
quires a  deep  rich  soil  to  grow  it  to  perfection ;  arid 
should  be  planted  in  beds  in  such  a  manner  that  one 
plant  partially  shades  another  from  the  burning  rays 
of  the  sun. 

The  method  of  propagation  is  in  the  first  instance 
to  obtain  new  varieties  from  seed,  which  should  be 
sown  in  the  fall  in  long  narrow  boxes  of  light  rich 
earth  ;  when  the  plants  come  up  in  the  spring  they 
should  be  well  watered  in  order  to  throw  them  into 
a  healthy  luxuriant  growth.  About  the  middle  of 
June  a  nursery  bed  may  be  prepared  to  receive  the 
young  plants.  A  piece  of  rich  ground  may  be  se- 
lected for  the  purpose  in  a  situation  where  it  is  part- 
ly protected  from  the  sun's  influence,  but  not  too 
much  shaded.  Prepare  the  ground  by  giving  a  coat 
of  good  well  rotted  manure,  dig  and  well  pulverize 
and  mix  it  together,  rake  it  level,  and  dibble  the 
young  plants  in  rows  one  foot  apart  and  six  inches 

*  A  very  superior  variety  of  the  red  raspberry  has  been  raised  from 
seed  by  Mr  Mason  Gardner  at  Charlestown,  Massachusetts — which  he 
has  given  the  name  of  "  the  grape  raspberry/3  from  the  appearance  of 
the  fruit  to  a  bunch  of  grapes. 


THE    RASPBERRY.  87 

between  in  the  row  ; — the  ground  should  be  well 
worked  in  the  summer  season  and  everything  done 
to  encourage  the  growth  of  the  young  plants,  and  in 
the  spring  they  may  be  planted  out  into  a  fruiting  bed 
as  recommended  below,  A  moist  time  should  be 
chosen  for  the  transplanting  of  the  seedling  ;  it  is 
better  to  defer  it  after  the  time  stated  than  to  plant 
when  the  weather  is  very  dry. 

The  general  method  in  cultivating  the  raspberry 
is  to  prepare  a  piece  of  ground  in  the  spring,  and 
plant  out  young  plants  of  the  last  year's  growth  in 
rows  four  feet  apart  each  way  :  in  the  fall  the  old 
dead  wood  is  cut  away  and  the  young  shoots  are  laid 
down  and  covered  over  with  earth  about  three  or 
four  inches  deep  to  guard  them  from  the  severe  frost 
a  short  time  before  the  close  of  winter  ;  when  the 
spring  opens  the  shoots  are  taken  up  and  neatly  tied 
to  stakes.  The  ground  is  well  worked  between  the 
rows  in  the  summer,  and  in  the  fall  the  old  wood  is 
cut  out  and  the  young  laid  down  as  before.  An  im- 
proved method  of  propagating  the  raspberry  is  by 
taking  up  the  young  plants  between  the  rows,  early 
in  the  spring  that  grow  from  the  roots  and  planting 
them  in  a  nursery  bed.  The  method  I  could  re- 
commend is  to  prepare  a  rich  piece  of  ground  by 
digging  it  and  raking  it  smooth,  when  the  young 
plants  may  be  taken  up  and  planted  in  rows  one  foot 
apart  with  a  dibble  and  six  inches  in  the  row  ;  the 
ground  will  require  to  be  well  worked  between  the 
rows  during  the  summer  season,  and  in  the  fall  or 
spring  they  may  be  planted  out  into  the  fruiting  bed, 
as  before  directed. 


88         FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 


ART.  4. — On  the  Culture  of  the  Currant. 

The  currant  is  a  native  of  Great  Britain,  many 
parts  of  Europe,  and  North  America  Its  species 
are  few,  and  the  varieties  are  not  numerous.  The 
fruit  is  considered  extremely  wholesome,  and  is 
eaten  as  a  dessert  ;  it  is  used  in  domestic  cookery 
in  almost  every  way  in  which  fruit  can  be  applied. 
From  it  are  made  excellent  jams  and  jellies,  which 
are  much  esteemed  in  sickness,  especially  the  black 
currant.  It  also  makes  an  excellent  wine  and  vine- 
gar. It  is,  indeed,  one  of  those  kinds  of  domestic 
fruits  that  should  find  a  place  everywhere. 

Propagation  and  Culture. —  The  currant  is  in- 
creased in  varieties  from  seed,  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  strawberry  and  raspberry,  but  it  is  not  worth 
while  to  undertake  to  improve  the  currant  by  seed  ; 
for  it  may  be  asserted,  I  think  with  every  confi- 
dence, that  the  red  and  white  Dutch  varieties,  which 
have  stood  the  test  of  nearly  two  centuries,  have 
every  property  that  can  ever  be  expected  to  be 
found  to  centre  in  this  valuable  fruit. 

The  best  and  most  general  method  to  propagate 
the  currant  is  from  cuttings  of  the  young  wood  in 
the  spring.  The  cuttings  may  be  prepared  by  cut- 
ting them  to  about  one  foot  in  length,  and  taking  out 
three  or  four  of  the  lower  eyes  or  buds,  in  order  to 
prevent  them  from  throwing  out  suckers  from  the 
root,  and  to  form  a  clear  stem.  The  cuttings  being 
prepared,  a  piece  of  ground,  lying  in  a  northern  as- 
pect, of  a  rich  loamy  nature,  may  then  be  prepared, 
by  digging  and  well  pulverizing  the  ground,  raking  it 
level,  &c.  ;  this  being  done,  the  cuttings  may  be  in- 
serted in  the  soil  by  a  line  stretched  across  the  bed. 


THE    CURRANT.  89 

This  may  be  performed  by  pressing  the  cutting  into 
the  ground  by  the  line  from  four  to  six  inches,  and 
from  four  to  six  inches  apart  in  the  rows  ;  this  done, 
the  earth  may  be  closed  to  the  cuttings  by  the  heel ; 
the  ground  may  then  be  neatly  raked  next  to  the 
row,  and  the  work  is  done.  The  line  may  then  be 
moved  from  a  foot  to  fifteen  inches  for  another  row, 
and  so  continue  until  the  whole  is  planted.  The 
ground  should  be  kept  clear  between  the  plants  the 
first  season,  and  if  they  are  not  wanted  to  be  planted 
out  the  next  year,  in  the  spring  they  may  be  headed 
down  to  one  eye  in  each  shoot,  and  some  rotten  ma- 
nure put  between  the  rows  and  dug  in  neatly  ;  they 
will  then  be  in  fine  order  for  planting  the  next  year. 

The  best  and  most  general  method  of  cultivating 
the  currant  is  to  prepare  a  rich  piece  of  ground,  by 
manuring,  digging,  &c.,  and  planting  out  the  young 
plants  from  three  and  a  half  to  four  feet  square 
each  way,  or,  where  large  plantations  are  to  be  made, 
perhaps  five  feet  between  the  row  and  three  feet  in 
the  row  would  answer  a  better  purpose,  as  in  that 
case,  a  sufficient  space  would  be  allowed  for  a  horse 
to  work  between  them. 

The  culture  of  the  currant  is  simply  to  keep  the 
ground  clean  and  in  good  order  by  manuring,  dress- 
ing, &c.  The  manner  of  pruning  the  currant  is,  to 
form  a  tree  into  four  or  five  leading  shoots,  and 
prune  in  all  the  small  wood  every  spring,  to  two  or 
three  eyes  of  the  main  shoots,  leaving  a  leading 
shoot  of  young  wood  at  the  end  of  each  main  leader, 
of  about  five  or  six  eyes.  In  order  to  keep  the  tree 
i«n  a  healthy,  vigorous  state,  it  is  a  good  method  to 
train  up  a  young  healthy  shoot  every  year,  and  cut 
away  an  old  one  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  frame 


90  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

and  form  of  the  tree  is  not  disfigured.  By  this  me- 
thod a  continual  succession  of  young  wood  is  kept 
up  for  many  years.  The  currant  is  often  trained  to 
good  advantage  to  trellisses  or  fences. 

ART.  5. — On  the  Culture  of  the  Gooseberry. 

The  gooseberry  is  a  native  of  the  same  parts  of 
the  world  as  the  currant ;  but  its  species  are  more 
numerous,  and  its  varieties  unlimited  and  yearly  in- 
creasing from  seeds  of  the  finer  kinds. 

The  gooseberry  is  a  prominent  article  in  domestic' 
cookery  ;  when  green  it  is  used  as  a  tart,  and  pre- 
served for  that  purpose  in  this  state  in  bottles. 

When  ripe  it  is  used  for  the  dessert,  for  pies, 
puddings,  &c.  ;  it  is  also  preserved  in  this  state  as 
jams  and  jellies  ;  and  we  have  the  testimony  of 
Dorothy,  the  domestic  consort  of  the  "  Vicar  of 
Wakefield,"  that  the  gooseberry,  when  ripe,  makes 
an  excellent  wine,  to  which  use  it  is  often  put  in 
Great  Britain. 

The  new  varieties  of  the  gooseberry  are  obtained 
from  seed  in  the  same  manner  as  the  raspberry  and 
currant.  The  manner  of  propagation  is  by  cuttings, 
in  the  same  way  as  the  currant,  and  the  mode  of 
preparing  and  planting  the  ground  precisely  the 
same  ;  but  the  selection  should  be  made  in  a  low, 
moist,  loamy  spot  of  ground,  or  the  gooseberry  will 
seldom  thrive  well  ;  while  the  currant  will  thrive  in 
almost  any  soil  and  location, 

Pruning. — The  gooseberry  tree  should  be  well 
pruned  every  spring,  so  that  the  air  may  have  free 
access  to  every  part  of  it,  in  order  that  the  fruit  may 
swell  freely  and  evade  the  mildew  with  which  it  is 


THE    GOOSEBERRY.  91 

generally  affected  more  or  less  in  this  country. 
The  method  of  pruning  is  the  same  as  that  employ- 
ed on  the  currant,  with  the  exception  that  the  young 
leading  shoots  of  the  main  branch  should  never  be 
shortened,  but  be  allowed  to  remain  at  their  full 
length. 

To  facilitate  the  growth  of  this  desirable  fruit, 
seedlings  should  be  raised  from  varieties  of  the 
country,  which  would  most  probably  produce  kinds 
of  a  superior  quality  that  would  escape  the  mildew, 
as  it  is  seldom  that  the  native  varieties  growing  in 
the  different  parts  of  the  Union  are  affected  with 
that  disease.  Such  kinds  would  probably  produce 
fruit  earlier  and  of  better  flavor  being  natural  to 
the  climate.  I  hope  to  see  a  trial  made  of  this 
fruit  by  some  of  our  enterprising  fruit  growers  ;  the 
experiment  is  certainly  worth  trying. 

In  the  many  different  modes  I  have  seen  practised 
in  the  culture  of  the  gooseberry,  I  have  seen  none 
that  has  answered  a  better  purpose  than  the  growing 
of  the  trees  in  a  very  rich  soil,  and  so  situated  that 
they  have  been  in  the  time  of  swelling  the  berries 
partly  shaded  from  the  influence  of  the  sun.  This 
I  have  seen  done  to  great  advantage  by  planting  the 
trees  in  the  centre  of  four  feet  asparagus  beds  ;  in 
such  places  the  roots  and  branches  are  in  a  location 
where  the  heat  and  moisture  is  uniform,  which  is  a' 
grand  point  in  the  culture  of  the  gooseberry,  for 
when  fully  exposed  the  sun  scalds  the  rinds  of  the 
fruit,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  sudden 
changes  from  drought  to  moisture  bring  on  the 
mildew  and  other  diseases. 


92  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 


CHAPTER  III. 

CULTURE    OF     STONE    FRUIT. 

ART.  1. — On  the  Culture  of  the  Plum. 

Its  native  country  and  varieties. — The  plum  is  a 
native  of  Great  Britain,  many  parts  of  Europe,  and 
North  America.  Its  species  are  numerous  and 
varieties  undetermined.  It  is  used  in  many  ways 
in  domestic  cookery,  as  pies,  puddings,  tarts,  &c., 
when  ripe,  and  many  varieties  (the  green  gage  par- 
ticularly), are  often  used  when  green  in  tarts  ; 
the  plum  also  is  one  of  the  best  desserts  of  the  sea- 
son. It  is  preserved  by  drying  the  fruit,  when  ripe, 
in  an  oven  or  the  sun,  and  preserved  with  sugar  in 
the  usual  way. 

The  culture  of  the  plum  has  been,  hitherto,  very 
uncertain  and  precarious  in  most  places  ;  and,  in 
many  instances,  been  abandoned,  under  the  idea  that 
it  "  cannot  be  cultivated,"  owing  to  local  causes  en- 
tirely discordant,  either  with  the  theory  or  practice, 
of  those  who  know  anything  relating  to  the  culture 
of  the  plum  tree.  Some  assert  it  will  not  flourish 
on  the  sea-shore,  and  others,  to  the  contrary,  that  it 
will  not  flourish  in  inland  places.  Heat,  cold,  dry 
seasons,  and  the  like,  have  been  considered  as  inju- 
rious to  the  well  being  of  the  plum.  For  my  own 
part,  I  do  not  think  that  either  of  these  causes  is  the 
true  reason  of  its  failure  ;  and  I  have  had  very  many 
just  reasons  to  believe  that  the  plum  will  flourish  in 
almost  any  district  of  the  United  States,  provided 
a  proper  location  be  chosen  for  it.  In  Albany,  and 


THE    PLUM.  93 

many  places  on  the  North  River,  the  plum  has  done 
admirably  well  many  years  ;  in  Charlestown,  Mass., 
fine  specimens  of  the  White  Gage,  Bolmar's  Wash- 
ington, &c.,  have  been  exhibited  by  Mr  Johnson  for 
several  years  ;  and  in  Cambridgeport,  near  Boston, 
Mr  Pond's  plum  garden  has  long  been  celebrated, 
and  last  year,  1838,  his  show  was  particularly  fine. 
Newark,  N.  J.,  and  many  other  places,  might  be 
quoted  in  the  same  manner.  In  Europe  the  same 
inference  may  be  drawn  as  to  locality. 

The  plum  never  does  well  only  when  grown  in  its 
peculiar  soil,  and  in  that  case  it  seldom  fails,  in  a 
warm  or  moderate  climate  : — The  location  best 
adapted  to  the  plum,  is  that  of  a  low  moist  place, 
where  there  is  a  depth  of  rich  black  earth,  and  where 
the  roots  can  always  be  in  a  moist  situation.  In 
such  places  the  plum  tree  makes  rapid  growth  for 
two  or  three  years  after  planting,  and  then  commences 
a  bearing  state,  which  continues  for  some  years. 
On  this  soil,  and  gravelly  or  sandy  bottom,  the  tree 
when  planted  makes  feeble  growth,  and  forms  fruit- 
ing buds,  or  spurs,  on  almost  all  its  branches,  which 
bear  numbers  of  fruit,  that  either  drop  off  when 
small  or  ripen  with  a  bad  flavor  ;  the  tree  is  affect- 
ed with  knobby  protuberances,  containing  a  worm 
called  the  curculio,  which  is  created  more  by  the 
poverty  of  the  tree  than  anything  else  ;  the  fruit, 
too,  often  swells,  without  forming  the  stone,  into  an 
ill  formed  yellow  fruit,  and  drops  off  when  in  a  grow- 
ing state.  The  main  cause  of  these,  is  owing  to  the 
roots  of  the  tree  being  in  a  situation  too  dry ;  and 
the  flow  of  sap  not  being  sufficient  for  the  nature  of 
the  tree. 

I  shall  not  go  through  the  routine  of  the  propaga- 


94  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

tion  of  this  tree,  as  it  is  precisely  the  same  as  the 
cherry,  with  the  exception  of  a  different  soil  as 
stated  above.  But  let  me  here  caution  the  reader 
against  the  very  improper  method  often  practised  of 
inoculating  the  plum  into  peach  stocks.  This  me- 
thod produces  fine  young  trees,  that  seldor-i  or  never 
bear  fruit.  With  this  precaution,  I  shall  proceed  to 
give  a  few  hints  relative  to  the  culture  of  the  plum. 
The  plum  I  consider  a  domestic  tree.  By  this  I 
mean  that  it  will  thrive  around  dwellings  either  in 
town  or  country.  It  will  flourish  well,  if  planted 
near  where  the  sediments  of  soap  suds,  &c.  are 
continually  running  or  accumulating.  Trees  planted 
near  heaps  of  stones,  or  pavements,  where  the  soil 
is  good  underneath,  will  flourish  and  bear  well.  Re- 
claimed land  near  rivers,  or  on  the  seaboard,  or 
where  places  have  been  filled  up  several  feet  with 
rich  earth  and  manure,  are  locations  well  adapted  to 
its  growth.  If  such  locations  are  a  little  sheltered 
the  better,  for  being  much  exposed  to  the  sun  I  do 
not  think  is  of  any  advantage  to  its  growth.  In  the 
culture  of  the  plum  a  very  false  system  is  often 
adopted  :  that  of  heading  in  the  luxuriant  shoots  of 
the  young  wood  of  young  trees,  when  they  are 
growing  in  a  suitable  location.  This  shortening  is  done 
with  a  view  to  throw  the  tree  into  a  bearing  state, 
when  the  only  thing  effected  by  the  method  is,  that  a 
number  of  shoots  are  thrown  out,  and  the  tree  forms 
a  thick  bushy  top  of  small  weak  branches,  and  never 
makes  so  large  and  handsome  a  tree  as  it  would  if  it 
had  been  left  to  nature.  Plum  trees  should  never 
be  pruned  when  growing  as  standards,  only  when 
the  wood  is  too  thick  arid  then  the  weakest  wood 
should  be  cut  out. 


THE    CHERRY.  95 

ART. 2. — On  the  Culture  of  the  Cherry. 

The  cherry  is  a  native  of  Great  Britain,  France, 
most  parts  of  Europe,  and  America.  The  species 
are  few,  and  varieties  are  not  so  numerous  as  the 
apple,  pear  and  many  kinds  of  fruit. 

The  cherry  is  used  as  a  dessert  when  ripe,  and 
considered  wholesome  ;  it  is  used  in  many  ways  in 
domestic  cookery,  and  when  ripe  makes  a  very 
pleasant  wine. 

New  varieties  of  the  cherry  are  obtained  from 
seed  in  the  same  manner  as  other  fruit.  The 
method  of  propagation  is  by  raising  young  plants 
from  seed  and  planting  them  in  nursery  rows,  and 
grafting  or  inoculating  them  as  directed  in  the  nur- 
sery. 

The  cherry  will  thrive  in  more  varieties  of  loca- 
tion and  soil  than  almost  any  other  kind  of  fruit  ; 
a  dry,  mellow,  loamy  soil,  with  a  tolerably  dry 
subsoil,  on  a  side  bank  is  the  best  adapted,  and  will 
be  found  to  answer  the  best  purpose  for  its  growth. 
In  many  cases  the  cherry  will  answer  an  excellent 
purpose  as  an  ornamental  tree  at  the  side  entrances 
of  a  dwelling  house,  and  in  some  instances  I  have 
seen  avenues  formed  of  the  upright  growing  kinds 
which  have  had  a  very  pretty  effect,  besides  pro- 
ducing abundant  crops  of  fruit. 

The  wood  of  the  cherry  tree  is  used  for  an  excel- 
lent purpose  by  the  cabinet  maker  in  manufacturing 
articles  of  domestic  furniture,  as  tables,  chairs,  and 
several  articles  of  ornament ;  and  its  fruit  may  be 
said  to  be  of  the  first  order  for  domestic  pur- 
poses. 

There  are  few  kinds  of  eatable  fruits  which  have 


96         FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

retained  their  different  varieties  so  long  and  uniform 
as  the  cherry,  and  in  which  a  few  varieties  will 
serve  to  answer  every  purpose  in  domestic  cookery, 
and  please  almost  every  palate  as  a  dessert.  The  dif- 
ferent varieties  of  the  Tartarian,  which  undoubtedly 
originated  in  and  received  their  name  from  Tartary, 
can  be  dated  back  two  centuries,  and  the  same  may 
be  said  of  the  Kentish  red  cherry  and  many  kinds  of 
the  "heart"  which  probably  received  their  first 
name  from  their  original  locality  and  the  form  of 
the  fruit. 

ART.  3. —  On  the  Culture  of  the  Peach. 

The  Peach  is  a  native  of  Persia,  France  and 
other  temperate  climates,  and  in  many  parts  of  the 
United  States.  Wildings  spring  up  from  seed  and 
produce  tolerable  good  fruit  in  propitious  seasons. 
Indeed  there  are  few  kinds  of  fruit  which  produce 
better  from  the  wildings  than  the  peach,  and  hence 
many  trees  are  planted  and  never  worked  with  the 
superior  kinds,  which  however,  is  a  system  not  to 
be  recommended,  for  the  trouble  is  trifling,  and  the 
time  lost  in  the  growth  not  above  a  year  at  the  most ; 
consequently  good  varieties  of  known  qualities  may 
be  propagated  and  grown  to  the  very  best  advan- 
tage. 

The  peach  is  a  fruit  of  the  first  order  for  the  dessert, 
and  is  used  many  ways  in  domestic  cookery,  as  tarts 
or  preserves,  and  in  the  southern  states  is  used  with 
milk  in  its  raw  state  after  being  skinned  and  quartered. 
The  species  are  numerous  and  varieties  undeter- 
mined and  new  varieties  of  acknowledged  merit  are 
daily  adding  to  the  list  of  long  standing  qualities  of 
imported  kinds. 


THE    PEACH.  97 

The  culture  of  the  peach  is  generally  of  an  easy 
nature,  and  the  product  when  the  seasons  are  favora- 
ble is  encouraging,  in  most  parts,  although  in  the 
more  northern  states  the  trees  are  often  very  much 
injured  by  sthe  winter's  severity,  for  which  no 
remedy  to  my  knowledge  can  be  applied  in  any 
satisfactory  manner.  In  the  vicinity  of  Albany,  N.  Y* 
I  have  seen  peach  trees  laid  down  and  covered  with 
soil  as  the  grape  vine,  but  the  system  has  rarely 
answered  a  good  purpose,  for  in  bending  down  the 
tree  the  roots  have  to  be  loosened  on  one  side  ;  and 
besides  I  have  noticed  generally  that  the  blossom 
buds  are  lost  when  the  branches  are  taken  up,  so  the 
practice  fails  altogether  of  its  object. 

The  peach  is  at  first  propagated  by  procuring  the 
stones  and  keeping  them  in  a  mould  during  the 
winter  in  a  box  or  other  vessel,  and  in  the  spring 
they  may  be  sown  in  rows  thickly  together  in  a  rich 
soil  ;  when  the  plants  are  grown  three  or  four  inches 
high,  they  are  then  to  be  replanted  into  nursery  rows 
two  feet  apart,  and  one  foot  between  in  the  row  ; 
this  removal  must  be  made  in  moist  weather  or  the 
plants  will  not  root  freely  in  the  soil. 

In  the  operation  of  pruning,  care  must  be  taken  to 
cut  the  branches  off  clean,  and  shave  the  rind  with 
a  sharp  knife  in  order  that  it  may  heal  freely.  All 
dead  wood  and  small,  weakly  branches  may  be  cut 
out,  and  the  tree  regulated  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
have  an  equal  proportion  of  wood.  There  is  no 
tree  that  naturally  divides  itself  into  a  more  regular 
habit  than  the  peach,  but  it  is  generally  seen  to  grow 
too  much  at  top,  and  ponsequently  the  branches  are 
much  diminished  in  the  centre.  This  is  to  be 
counteracted  by  pruning  the  top  spike  of  the  leading 
7 


98  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION, 

branches  back  to  a  side  shoot,  which  will  give  more 
succor  to  the  centre  of  the  tree. 

Where  strong,  luxuriant  shoots  of  one  year  old 
are  seen  growing  from  the  centre  of  the  tree,  or 
when  any  shoot  has  been  broken  off,  they  may  be 
pruned,  as  they  rob  the  smaller  fruit  bearing  branches 
of  their  proper  nutriment. 

Summer  Pruning.— The  peach,  like  all  other 
trees,  requires  some  attention  in  the  summer  as  to 
regulating  any  superfluous  branches  that  may  appear, 
and  destroying  insects.  If  it  so  happens,  which 
is  very  seldom  the  case,  that  too  great  a  quantity  of 
fruit  sets  and  swells,  it  may  be  thinned  to  give  that 
which  is  left  on  the  tree  a  better  size  and  flavor. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ttfLTtfRE     OF    POMIFEROUS     FRUITS. 

ART*   1. —  On  the  Culture  of  the  Jlpple. 

THE  apple  may  be  considered  the  staple  fruit  of 
America  ;  and  its  well  known  properties  in  domestic 
uses  render  anything  that  can  here  be  said  in  recom- 
mendation, entirely  useless.  The  wild  apple  or 
crab,  is  found  growing  spontaneously  in  most  parts 
of  North  America  and  Europe,  and  we  have  varie- 
ties from  Siberia,  called  the  Siberian  crab,  which  is 
more  grown  as  an  ornament  than  for  any  useful  pur- 
pose. There  are  several  species  of  the  apple,  and 
the  varieties  are  numerous  and  undetermined,  which 


THE    APPLE.  99 

are  yearly  increasing  by  seedlings,  some  of  which 
are  procured  by  culture,  and  others  are  the  acciden- 
tal -sports  of  nature.  The  latter  of  these  are  the 
most  rare,  but  long  experience  has  abundantly  proved 
that  many  of  the  very  best  kinds  of  fruit  have  been 
procured  from  u  wildings,"  or  accidendal  sports  of 
superior  kinds  from  the  crab.  Indeed  it  may  pret- 
ty safely  be  asserted  that  the  types  of  most  of  the 
best  kinds  of  fruit  now  extant,  have  been  at  first  ori- 
ginated from  this  sporting  of  the  primitive  to  a  su-* 
perior  kind. 

The  apple  is  so  generally  cultivated,  and  its  use- 
fulness rendering  it  eligible  almost  everywhere, 
there  is  not  that  due  attention  paid  to  its  selection 
and  culture,  that  it  merits,  The  apple  is  strictly 
speaking  very  local  in  its  nature,  by  which  I  mean 
different  varieties  thrive  and  produce  much  better  in 
some  districts  than  in  others ;  this  fact  although 
clearly  evident  and  undisputed  by  any  person  that 
has  travelled  through  different  countries  and  dis- 
tricts, where  the  apple  flourishes  and  is  grown  in 
large  quantities,  has  never  to  my  knowledge  attract- 
ed the  attention  of  pomological  and  horticultural 
writers  sufficiently  to  induce  any  one  to  compile  a 
treatise  on  fruit,  which  shall  point  out  the  origin  and 
particular  districts  in  which  many  valuable  fruits  can 
be  grown  to  perfection,  in  a  manner  that  would  en- 
sure those  who  planted,  a  certain  and  sure  revenue 
from  their  product.  A  work  of  this  kind,  written 
by  a  careful  observer,  acquainted  with  the  nature  and 
culture  of  fruits  adapted  to  this  country,  could  not 
fail  of  being  well  received  ;  and  the  author  would 
be  doing  a  public  service  much  wanted.  That  the 
apple  is  local  in  its  productiveness,  we  have  ample 


100  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

proof  from  the  different  kinds  finding  their  way  to 
market  as  a  matter  of  profit,  in  various  parts  of  the 
State.  Hence  the  Baldwin  and  Roxbury  russet  are 
found  in  abundance  in  the  Boston  market  in  the  fall, 
and  are  an  important  article  of  exportation  from  that 
port  to  South  America  and  the  West  Indies,  be- 
sides furnishing  the  winter  stock  for  every  family  in 
its  vicinity.  These  varieties  flourish  about  fifty 
miles  parallel  to  the  seaboard  of  Boston,  when  they 
cease  to  be  plentiful.  Most  likely  both  first  origina- 
ted from  the  primitive  fruit  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Boston.  The  New  York  Russet,  Greening,  &c., 
bear  the  same  testimony  in  growth  and  appearance 
in  the  market ;  the  cider  for  which  Newark,  in  the 
Jerseys,  is  so  famous,  is  made  from  two  kinds  of 
cider  apples,  the  Harrison  and  Campfield,  which  no 
doubt  are  natives  and  congenial  to  the  soil  peculiar 
to  that  part,  as  they  flourish  only  to  perfection  about 
thirty  miles  on  the  border  and  parallel  with  the  river 
Passaic. 

The  same  peculiarity  also  prevails  with  the  differ- 
ent kinds  of  apples  in  Great  Britain  ;  for  in  the  Lon- 
don markets  are  to  be  seen  the  different  kinds  that 
are  the  most  productive  in  the  different  parts,  as  for 
instance  the  old  variety  of  Nonpareil,  so  celebrated 
as  a  table  fruit  of  the  first  order,  is  mostly  grown  in 
the  county  of  Kent  ;  as  is  the  Loans  Pearmain,  the 
Lemon  Pippen,  and  many  other  kinds  that  are  a 
principal  item  in  the  markets.  Now  when  these 
kinds  are  grown  in  any  other  parts  of  England,  they 
do  not  give  such  yearly  produce,  and  when  trans- 
planted hither,  it  is  seldom  seen  that  they  give  any 
fruit  ;  and  the  trees  do  not  flourish  well,  which  is 
simply  owing  to  their  being  out  of  their  natural  cli- 


THE 

mate  and  location.  The  same  thing  happens  with 
the  choice  kinds  of  American  apples  when  trans- 
ported to  Great  Britain  ;  they  seldom  do  well,  nor 
can  it  be  expected.  The  same  local  nature  also  ex- 
ists in  the  pear,  the  plum,  and  most  fruits  in  a  cer- 
tain degree,  although  in  some  cases  the  reverse 
is  seen  ;  for  the  green  gage  plum  flourishes  in 
France,  Great  Britain,  and  in  most  parts  of  the 
Northern  States.  The  red  and  white  Dutch  cur- 
rant, are  natives  of  Holland,  and  have  been  known 
for  two  hundred  years.  They  flourish  in  all  parts 
of  the  Northern  States,  Great  Britain,  Sac.  alike,  and 
give  fine  fruit,  and  have  no  appearance  of  being  run 
out  or  depreciating  in  their  quality,  whilst  many 
fruits  we  find  are  local  to  a  certain  district. 

There  are  two  methods  which  may  be  adopted  in 
the  culture  of  the  apple  to  advantage.  One,  the 
most  general,  is  that  of  cultivating  for  the  orchard, 
which  requires  a  system  of  forming  the  tree,  when 
young,  in  a  strong  luxuriant  manner,  in  order  that 
when  fully  grown  the  tree  may  fill  a  large  space,  and 
under  this  process  we  may  strictly  rank  orcharding. 
The  other  method,  is  that  of  dwarfing  trees  into  a 
low  habit,  so  that  the  trees  may  be  with  propriety 
introduced  into  the  garden  and  give  a  produce  so 
that  an  under  crop  may  be  certain,  or  at  least  that 
they  may  not  occupy  but  a  very  small  space  of 
ground.  Now  as  each  of  these  methods  must  be  so 
managed,^  that  the  trees  are  in  a  healthy  state,  there 
appears  to  be  some  art  or  knowledge  required  to 
manage  the  thing  with  propriety.  And  here  we 
find  another  desideratum  in  the  culture  of  fruit, 
which  at  some  future  time  will  perhaps  employ  the 
pens  of  distinguished  writers  on  pomology,  namely, 


°?RUIT  'GARDEN    COMPANION. 


a  definite  rule  which  shall  explain  the  characteristic's 
of  certain  varieties  of  fruit  trees^  to  be  worked  for 
the  purpose  of  giving  a  different  stature  to  any  va- 
riety when  inoculated  or  ingrafted  on  the  loilding  or 
crab.  That  this  is  satisfactorily  known  by  many 
who  have  devoted  their  time  and  talents  to  the  cul- 
ture of  fruit,  I  have  DO  reason  to  doubt  ;  but  I  have 
seen  nothing  communicated  to  the  world  through 
the  press  to  any  extent  on  the  subject. 

AiiT.  2.—  On  the  Culture  of  the*  Pear. 

The  pear  tree  is  found  growing  spontaneously  in 
Great  Britain,  France,  Flanders,  and  most  parts  of 
Northern  Europe  and  America;  Its  species  are 
numerous  and  varieties  undetermined,  which  have 
been  highly  improved  by  the  energetic  and  long 
experimental  perseverance  of  scientific  pomologists 
of  different  countries,  among  whom  Van  Mons  of 
Belgium,-  and  Knight  of  Great  Britain,  have  been  very 
conspicuous.  The  results  of  their  experiment  have 
put  the  world  in  possession  of  many  fine  varieties  of 
this  fruit  which  never  would  have  made  their  ap- 
pearance. without  such  experiments  reduced  to  prac- 
tice under  the  most  sciectific  principles.  To  this 
may  be  added  many  fine  varieties  which  have  origi- 
nated from  an  accidental  birth  or  sport  of  nature  of 
which  the  Chaumontelle  and  the  St.  Germaine  are 
of  the  most  ancient  date.  The  Seckel,  Gushing, 
Preble,  Lewis,  and  many  others,  are  proved  to  be 
the  accidental  births  of  this  country  ;  and  the  same 
remark  might  be  made  of  pears  which  are  indigen- 
ous either  by  accidental  birth  or  pomological  exper- 


THE    PEAR,  103 

Sment  in  every  part  of  the  world  ;  they  are  generally 
found  to  be  natives  or  wildings. 

The  pear  forms  a  conspicuous  item  in  the  dessert, 
and  is  admired  for  its  rich  juicy  qualities  more  as  a 
table  fruit  than  for  domestic  cookery,  although  the 
autumnal  and  winter  kinds  are  used  for  stews,  pies 
and  other  domestic  purposes. 

Soil  and  location. — The  soil  best  adapted  to  the 
pear  is  a  deep  rich  mellow  loam,  approaching  to 
that  of  clay.  If  the  pear  tree  is  planted  in  a  soil 
where  the  surface  earth  is  thin  and  the  subsoil  of  a 
barren  sand  or  gravelly  nature,  it  rarely  grows  to 
any  perfection  for  many  years  together  ;  for  the 
roots  generally  strike  deep  for  their  support  and 
draw  moisture  during  the  summer  from  the  subsoil, 
and  consequently  on  poor  gravelly  bottoms  the  roots 
cannot  extract  their  wonted  nutriment  of  hot  dry 
summers,  and  hence  the  fruit  does  not  come  to  its 
maturity,  more  owing  to  poverty  than  anything  else. 
An  instance  of  this  may  be  drawn  from  the  fact  that 
many  fine  varieties  of  pears  bear  good  specimens  of 
fruit  in  the  vicinity  of  Albany,  owing  to  the*  subsoil 
being  a  cool  moist  clayey  bottom,  that  do  not  bear 
well  in  New  York  and  in  the  New  England  States. 

The  location  should  be  chosen  in  a  sheltered  place, 
for  in  a  too  much  exposed  situation  it  is  rare  that 
pear  trees,  the  tender  kinds  in  particular,  bear  good 
crops  of  fruit. 

The  method  of  propagation  is  by  raising  stocks 
from  seeds  in  the  nursery  as  directed  under  the 
proper  head.  The  pear  is  sometimes  worked  on 
the  quince  and  white  thorn  when  it  is  desired  to 
have  the  tree  of  a  dwarf  low  stature  to  train  against 
fences  or  trellis,  or  indeed  for  any  purpose  when  re- 


104  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

quired  to  be  of  a  dwarf  habit   and   brought  into  a 
fruiting  state  in  a  short  period  after  planting. 

ART.  3. —  On  the  Culture  of  the  Quince. 

The  quince  is  an  esteemed  fruit  as  a  preserve  and 
to  mix  with  the  apple,  in  tarts  and  pies.  There  are 
many  varieties,  but  few  seem  to  flourish  well  for 
many  years  together,  owing  to  local  causes  injurious 
to  the  tree,  as  the  severe  winters,  or  fire  blast  by 
which  a  great  part  of  the  tree  is  struck  in  the  sum- 
mer, causing  the  leaves  to  turn  red  and  die. 

The  quince  is  propagated  generally  from  the  suck- 
ers which  are  thrown  out  from  the  roots.  It  is  also 
propagated  by  cuttings  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
currant,  and  in  many  cases  it  is  made  use  of  as  a 
stock  to  work  the  pear  on,  to  bring  it  into  a  dwarf 
habit  for  the  purpose  of  planting  in  confined  places, 
as  the  borders  of  small  gardens  and  for  training  on 
trellis. 

The  best  location  for  the  quince  is  a  rich  low 
place  where  it  is  continually  rnoist ;  and  hence  it  is 
that  it  generally  flourishes  well  by  the  sides  of  drains 
and  on  the  flat  margins  of  running  waters  ;  a  good 
loamy  subsoil  is  also  of  great  importance  to  the 
quince,  for  I  have  generally  found  it  to  flourish  best 
on  such  bottoms. 

The  planting  and  raising  the  quince,  to  a  fruiting 
tree,  is  attended  with  the  same  care  and  manage- 
ment as  other  fruit  ;  although  I  am  of  opinion  that 
when  in  a  fruiting  state,  it  is  rarely  that  the  tree  has 
due  justice  done  to  it. 

The  quince  is  a  tree  that  requires  an  annual  prun- 
ing more  than  any  other  fruit  tree  that  I  am  acquaint- 


THE    QUINCE.  105 

ed  with  ;  for  like  the  Morello  cherry,  it  fruits  from 
the  last  year's  young  wood  principally.  It  is  there- 
fore important  that  the  young  wood  should  be  strong 
and  healthy  in  order  that  the  fruit  set  free  and  swell 
to  a  good  size.  To  obtain  this,  the  tree  must  be  an- 
nually pruned  twice  a  year,  in  the  summer  and  in 
the  spring.  The  summer  pruning  may  be  done  when 
the  fruit  is  about  swollen  to  half  its  size.  This  is 
simply  to  cut  out  any  decayed  wood  and  the  suckers 
from  the  stem  that  weaken  the  strength  of  the  tree  ; 
any  weak  young  wood  which  enfeebles  the  fruiting 
branches,  may  also  be  cut  away. 

The  spring  pruning  I  recommend  to  be  done 
about  the  time  the  buds  are  beginning  to  expand  ;  in 
this  pruning  all  the  dead  wood  is  to  be  cut  out,  and 
the  thin  slender  shoots.  The  fruiting  shoots  which 
are  of  the  last  year's  growth  are  then  to  be  chosen 
and  to  be  left  regularly  over  the  tree  a  convenient 
distance,  say  fifteen  or  eighteen  inches  apart,  when 
the  remainder  of  the  young  wood  is  pruned  off  in 
every  part  of  the  tree. 

ART.  4. — On  the  General  Culture  of  Fruit. 

After  what  has  been  said  of  the  culture  of  fruit 
trees  under  the  different  heads  of  the  nursery  plant- 
ing, and  the  separate  divisions  of  the  different  na- 
tural families  of  fruit,  little  remains  to  be  spoken  of 
here,  nor  would  it  be  excusable  to  again  tax  the 
reader's  patience  by  reiterating  a  tautological  expla- 
nation of  the  different  modes  of  practice  recommend- 
ed to  be  followed  ;  although  perhaps  a  few  com- 
ments on  the  general  outline  of  culture  may  not  be 
unacceptable  to  the  inquiring  practitioner.  Leav- 
ing then  the  modes  of  propagation,  planting,  pru- 


106  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

ning,  and  like  operations,  to  be  perused  under  their 
proper  heads,  1  shall  confine  this  subject  entirely  to 
the  management  of  the  ground  of  a  fruit  garden  or 
orchard  after  being  planted  the  first  year. 

It  is  most  generally  the  custom  to  crop  the  ground 
between  fruit  trees  for  three  or  four  years  with  po- 
tatoes or  different  kinds  of  vegetables  ;  to  this  sys- 
tem there  can  be  no  objection  if  it  is  not  over  done  ; 
but  where  young  orchards  or  fruit  plantations  are 
overcropped  so  that  the  ground  cannot  be  well 
cultivated  between  the  rows,  and  the  produce 
is  taken  off  in  such  quantities  as  to  exhaust  the 
soil,  the  growth  of  the  trees  is  very  much  retard- 
ed and  impoverished.  The  under  crop  of  orchards 
or  fruit  gardens  should  always  be  considered  as 
a  secondary  consideration;  and  if  the  produce  will 
merely  pay  for  the  labor,  the  cultivator  ought  to  be 
contented. 

In  the  first  spring  of  a  new  planted  orchard  or 
fruit  garden,  I  recommend,  if  the  ground  has  not 
been  manured  before  planting,  that  it  have  a  good 
manuring  and  be  well  ploughed  or  dug  deep  ;  and 
cropped  with  potatoes  in  rows  two  or  three  feet 
apart,  leaving  a  breadth  of  four  feet  by  the  rows  of 
trees  uncropped.  Every  care  should  be  taken  to  cul- 
tivate the  ground  in  the  very  best  manner  during  the 
summer  between  the  crops,  and  the  part  left  by  the 
trees  should  be  kept  clear  of  weeds  and  worked  deep 
with  a  fork  Aoror  some  tool,  in  order  to  prepare  the 
ground  so  that  the  roots  of  the  trees  strike  freely 
into  it. 

In  the  fall  when  the  crop  is  taken  off,  the  ground 
should  be  ploughed  towards  the  tree,  beginning  close 
to  the  stems  with  a  shallow  furrow  so  as  not  to  disturb 


CllLTURE    OF    FRUIT.  107 

•die-  roots  of  the  trees — the  next  furrow  may  be 
ploughed  deeper,  and  the  centre  part  as  deep  as  pos- 
sibly can  be  done.  This  ploughing  should  be  so 
managed  that  the  ground  lays  rather  highest  near  the 
trees,  and  the  last  furrow,  which  should  be  in  the 
centre  between  them,  forms  a  drain  to  take  off  the 
surface  water  in  the  spring. 

In  the  following  spring  the  ground  may  again  be 
manured  and  ploughed  or  dug  as  before  directed. 

As  the  trees  increase  in  size  and  the  roots  send 
out  their  small  fibres^  the  earth  should  not  be 
worked  so  deep  as  to  interrupt  their  expansion  and 
progress,  but  the  surface  about  the  stem  of  the  tree 
should  be  merely  hoed  and  kept  clean,  and  the 
ground  in  the  middle  of  the  rows  worked  deeper 
until  the  whole  of  the  soil  is  threaded  over  with 
roots,  which  will  be  in  a  few  years.  It  is  much  to 
be  doubted  if  a  system  of  working  deep  among  fruit 
trees  is  correct  after  the  first  years  of  planting  ;  be- 
cause their  roots  are  interrupted  and  cut  off  in  their 
progress,  and  it  is  a  truth  which  admits  not  a  mo- 
ment's question,  that  the  roots  of  trees  require  to  extend 
themselves  as  the  top  makes  a  progress  in  growth,  to 
support  and  nourish  the  tree. 

I  recommend  that  a  quantity  of  compost  as 
directed  under  its  proper  Mead  be  spread  over  the 
ground  every  other  year,  and  the  land  if  cultivated 
be  kept  clean  by  hoeing,  raking  and  like  culture? 
but  not  dug  or  plouged>  deep  when  the  ground  is* 
rooted  over, 


108       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

CHAPTER  V. 

CULTURE    OF    THE    GRAPE. 

ART.  1. — Remarks  on  the  Culture  of  the  Vine. 

IN  my  remarks  on  the  culture  of  the  grape,  I 
shall  principally  confine  the  subject  to  the  ill  effects 
of  bad  management,  in  order  to  throw  some  light 
on  a  more  correct  method  of  culture.  In  the  first 
place,  the  grape  vine  is  subject  to  many  casual  inju- 
ries when  in  a  growing  state,  owing  chiefly  to  the 
very  porous  nature  of  the  wood  and  leaves,  which 
render  it  susceptible  to  the  mildew,  red  spider,  &c., 
by  which  many  crops  of  fruit  are  totally  lost.  What- 
ever food,  impurity  of  air,  or  epidemical  disease  is 
present  to  the  grape  vine,  it  is  readily  imbibed  by 
it,  and  the  vine  either  flourishes  or  sickens,  accord- 
ing to  the  presence  of  such  food  or  disease.  The 
roots  also  quickly  convey  any  matter  in  a  liquid 
state  to  the  branches  and  most  minute  part  of  the 
vine  ;  hence  the  vine  has  often  been  resorted  to  by 
phytologists  to  investigate  the  circulation  of  sap, 
which  has  given  rise  to  many  useful  facts,  by  charg- 
ing the  sap-vessels  of  the  wood  with  colored  fluids, 
which  have  been  traced  through  the  different  chan- 
nels, to  the  leaves  and  most  minute  parts. 

The  mismanagement  of  the  grape  vine  may  be 
frequently  traced  to  the  neglect  of  summer  pruning, 
particularly  in  city  gardens,  where  it  generally  is 
cultivated  on  arbors  ror  trellis  ;  for  when  the  vine  is 
allowed  to  grow  without  any  restraint,  or  summer 
pruning,  it  seldom  brings  its  fruit  to  any  perfection, 


THE    ORAPE.  109 

nor  grows  in  a  healthy,  vigorous  manner.  This  de- 
fect is  chiefly  owing  to  the  wood  growing  too  thickly 
together  ;  the  consequence  is,  that  it  is  of  a  soft 
sappy  nature,  and  not  in  a  proper  state  either  to  bear 
fruit  the  following  year,  or  hardy  enough  to  bear  the 
severity  of  winter.  This  fact  may  be  easily  ascer- 
tained by  an  intelligent  person  who  will  take  the 
pains  to  examine  vines  in  the  fall,  so  treated  ;  the 
young  wood  will  be  found  of  a  soft  sappy  nature, 
when  it  should  be  hard,  to  ensure  fruit  the  following 
season.  Vines  which  have  riot  been  summer  pruned, 
are  generally  so  thick  of  young  wood  that  the  sun 
and  air  are  partly  excluded  from  the  under  branches, 
which  are,  consequently,  weak,  the  fruit  small  and 
of  an  inferior  quality,  with  many  of  the  berries  rot- 
ting from  the  bunches,  owing  to  their  being  too 
much  shaded.  If  the  vines  are  allowed  to  remain 
thus,  the  fruit  will  not  ripen,  and  therefore  it  will 
not  obtain  its  proper  quality,  consequently  it  will  be 
unpleasant  to  the  taste  and  unwholesome. 

ART.    2. — Soil  and  Location. 

The  soil  best  adapted  to  the  grape  vine,  is  that  of 
a  rich  loamy  nature,  with  a  portion  of  sand  ;  but  al- 
most any  natural  soil  will  grow  the  native  grape,  if 
richly  manured,  on  condition  that  the  subsoil  is  dry. 
Wet  bottoms  are  in  all  cases  injurious  to  the  growth 
of  the  grape  vine.  It  is  held  as  a  general  rule  by 
some  grape-growers,  that  vines,  when  cultivated  in 
the  open  air,  should  have  a  site  chosen  on  an  eleva- 
tion, as  on  a  hill  side  facing  the  south.  I  am  well 
aware  that  such  locations  are  generally  chosen  in  the 
grape  districts  of  Europe  ;  but,  observation  has 


110  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

given  me  reason  to  think  that  a  well  sheltered  situs* 
tion,  with  an  open  exposure  to  the  south,  on  a  level 
surface,  will  answer  the  best  purpose  in  this  country. 
If  the  season  is  favorable  to  the  growth  of  the  grape 
in  this  country,  it  will  ripen  in  any  exposed  situation ; 
if  it  is  unfavorable,  then  it  seldom  ripens  in  the  most 
favorable  aspects  ;  for  it  is  the  spring  frost  that 
hurts  the  young  growth  and  often  the  blossom  of  the 
*  grape  ;  and,  if  a  cold  moist  summer  follows,  neither 
the  fruit  or  wood  ripens  till  late  in  the  fall,  and  if 
early  frost  appear,  then  neither  fruit  nor  wood  is 
properly  ripened.  The  Isabella,  and  most  native 
grapes,  I  have  noticed  to  thrive  and  bear  best  in 
towns  and  cities  on  trellisses,  situated  on  a  southeast 
aspect,  and  I  have  also  noticed  that  the  elevated  lo- 
cation of  such  places  have  not  been  so  congenial  to 
them  as  flat  bottoms  :  this  may  be  accounted  for  by 
the  latter  situation  being  less  subject  to  the  influence 
the  sun  and  air  and  sudden  changes  the  effects  of 
which  are  more  severely  felt  on  high  locations. 

ART.  3. — Propagation  of  the  Grape  Vine. 

There  are  many  methods  by  which  the  grape  vine 
is  propagated  or  increased,  as  by  the  single  eye,  the 
cutting,  the  layer,  and  by  seed.  The  most  simple 
and  successful,  is  by  cuttings  of  the  young  wood, 
three  or  four  eyes  or  joints  long,  which  are  inserted 
about  half  way  in  the  ground,  in  rows  eighteen 
inches  apart,  and  six  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  The 
manner  of  performing  the  work  is  to  prepare  the 
ground  well,  by  digging,  &c.,  then  set  a  garden  line 
and  insert  your  cuttings  regularly  by  the  proper  dis- 
tance, closing  the  ground  well  about  them  with  the 
foot. 


THE    GRAPE.  Ill 

The  management  of  the  cuttings  of  the  first  year 
is  simply  to  keep  the  ground  clean  and  well  culti- 
vated. 

If  a  shady  location  is  chosen  for  the  cuttings,  they 
will  root  the  better,  many  being  lost  in  this  climate, 
by  drought.  The  best  time  of  setting  them  is  in  the 
spring,  when  the  frost  has  disappeared. 

Second  year's  culture. — If  the  young  plants  are  to 
remain  the  second  year  in  the  nursery,  (which  is  by 
far  the  best  method,)  they  should  be  pruned  about 
the  beginning  of  March,  by  cutting  off  their  shoots 
to  two  or  three  eyes  ;  when  the  ground  is  open,  if  a 
quantity  of  good,  rotten  manure  be  thrown  between 
the  rows  and  neatly  dug  in,  the  plants  will  be  much 
benefited.  When  the  young  shoots  begin  to  grow, 
they  are  to  be  finger-pruned  by  breaking  off  all  the 
shoots  to  three  or  four  ;  one  of  the  strongest  of 
these  will  require  to  be  trained  to  a  stake,  and  the 
others  shortened  when  they  are  from  one  foot  to 
eighteen  inches  long. 

The  ground  between  the  vines  will  require  keep- 
ing clean  and  the  plants  to  be  often  looked  over  during 
the  summer,  and  divested  of  their  dead  and  sickly 
leaves,  and  any  insects  or  other  nuisance  that  may 
be  hurtful  to  their  health — and  every  means  of  good 
culture  should  be  applied  to  grow  them  strong  and 
vigorous. 

ART.  4. — Preparing  the  Ground  and  Planting. 

In  all  cases  where  the  grape  is  to  be  planted,  the 
ground  should  be  well  prepared,  by  putting  on  to  it 
a  quantity  of  rotten  manure,  and  well  ploughing  or 
digging  it  to  a  proper  depth. 


112       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

Every  precaution  should  be  taken  to  take  up  the 
young  plants  without  cutting  the  roots  too  near  the 
stem.  The  roots  should  be  traced  and  left  at  least  two 
or  three  feet  from  the  stem.  When  the  plants  are 
thus  carefully  taken  out  of  the  ground,  they  should 
be  laid  in  a  regular  manner  in  the  hole,  about  the 
same  depth  in  the  ground  as  in  the  nursery.  Having 
planted  the  vines  carefully,  nothing  more  is  required 
but  to  remind  the  planter,  that  good  culture  is  always 
to  be  attended  to,  by  digging,  keeping  the  ground 
clean,  and  good  management. 

ART.  5. —  Summer  Pruning  of  the  Grape. 

The  proper  method  of  summer  pruning  the 
grape  vine,  is  simply  to  regulate  the  young  wood 
in  such  a  manner  that  the  sun  and  air  has  free  access 
to  every  part  of  the  vine  ;  those  parts  of  the  vine 
that  are  not  so  exposed,  cannot  obtain  their  proper 
quality,  as  the  leaves  of  vines  are  analogous  to  the 
lungs  of  animals,  and  imbibe  the  air  in  a  similar 
manner,  therefore  the  quality  is  more  or  less  perfect 
in  proportion  to  its  free  exposure,  and  the  young 
wood  is  the  same.  This  may  be  clearly  seen  by 
examining  a  vine  thickly  covered  with  wood,  the  ex- 
treme branches  of  which  are  always  healthy,  because 
they  have  the  benefit  of  the  sun  and  air  and  every 
thing  congenial  to  them.  But,  those  which  are 
thick  and  shaded  are  very  weak,  the  leaves  thin,  turn 
yellow  and  decay  ;  the  wood  is  soft,  green,  and  sap- 
py, and  perishes  in  the  winter,  and  is  therefore  use- 
less :  the  bunches  of  grapes  that  are  under  the 
branches  of  the  vine  have  small  berries,  and  many 
of  them  drop  off  after  rain  and  moist  weather,  and 


THE    GRAPE.  113 

those  that  remain  are  not  well  colored  nor  well  fla- 
vored ;  this  is  the  effect  of  the  absence  of  sun  and 
air. 

The  regular  process  of  summer  pruning  the  grape 
vine  is  to  commence  early  in  the  spring,  as  soon  as 
the  young  shoots  are  grown  three  or  four  inches  in 
length.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  take  off  all 
the  weakly  shoots  where  two  or  three  are  growing 
together  in  clusters,  leaving  but  one,  the  most  healthy 
and  vigorous.  (This  is  termed  finger  *pr  uning  >) 
The  next  operation  is  the  stopping  the  wood,  which 
is  performed  by  nipping  it  off  between  the  finger 
and  thumb  two  joints  above  the  bunches  of  grapes, 
which  are  at  this  time  to  be  seen  in  all  parts  of  the 
vine  ;  but  care  must  be  taken  to  leave  strong,  healthy 
shoots  in  a  regular  manner  in  every  part  of  the  vine, 
for  young  bearing  wood  for  the  next  year  without 
stopping.  These  shoots  should  be  left  about  eighteen 
inches  apart  in  every  part  of  the  vine*  In  this  oper- 
ation the  shoots  should  be  regulated  at  their  proper 
distances  and  neatly  tied  with  bass  matting  or  strings, 
and  the  young  wood  and  bunches  of  fruit  should  be  as 
much  as  possible  so  placed  as  to  have  free  access 
to  sun  and  air. 

When  the  young  wood  is  properly  regulated  at 
equal  distances,  so  that  every  part  enjoys  the  sun  and 
air,  the  after  management  is  to  take  away  all  dead, 
decayed  leaves,  and  keep  the  vine  in  every  respect 
in  a  clean  and  healthy  state.  The  lateral  shoots 
should  also  be  broken  or  nipped  off  at  different 
times,  that  the  vine  may  not  be  weakened  by  them. 
Lateral  shoots  are  those  which  grow  from  the  eyes 
of  the  young  wood,  and  are  of  no  use  to  the  vine 
either  at  this  time  of  growth  or  the  next  year's 
8 


114       FHUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

fruiting  wood,  but  draw  a  portion  of  substance  from 
it  in  proportion  to  their  number  :  hence  the  utility  of 
removing  such  shoots,  tn  taking  off  laterals  care 
must  be  taken  to  nip  them  off  one  eye  from  the  main 
or  longitudinal  shoot  :  this  is  one  grand  point  in 
summer  pruning,  which  is  often  improperly  done  by 
nipping  them  too  close  ;  the  consequence  is,  that 
the  eye  bursts  and  grows  at  an  improper  season, 
which  causes  a  barrenness  the  next  year,  owing  to 
the  neglect  of  leaving  a  proper  bud,  to  carry  off  the 
superfluous  sap,  which  is  effected  by  leaving  an  eye 
on  the  end  of  the  lateral,  from  which  the  current  of 
sap  is  kept  in  motion  ;  the  laterals  must  be  often 
taken  off  and  the  bunches  thinned  when  the  fruit  is 
as  large  as  small  peas. 

The  method  of  thinning  is  to  leave  the  bunches 
as  regular  as  possible  in  every  part.  One  bunch 
should  be  left  on  a  shoot  of  the  present  year's  wood, 
where  the  branches  are  weak,  and  two  on  those  of 
stronger  growth  ;  and  no  more  than  two  in  any  place. 

The  benefit  arising  from  thinning  the  bunches  is 
this  ;  the  grapes  are  better  flavored  and  the  fruit 
finer  ;  the  wood  is  also  better  ripened,  and  more 
vigorous,  and  every  way  better  for  fruiting  the  follow- 
ing season. 

Winter  pruning. — Pruning  the  grape  vine  has 
been  held  in  such  consideration  in  Europe,  that  dif- 
ferent systems  have  been  resorted  to,  and  applied  as 
a  correct  theory  of  art.  They  are  the  Thomeroy, 
the  Spurring,  and  the  Caning. 

The  Thomeroy  is  performed  by  forming  the  vine 
in  such  a  manner  that  the  old  wood  always  remains 
forming  the  frame,  and  all  the  young  wood  is  cut  into 
two  or  three  eyes  for  fruiting. 


THE    GRAPE.  115 

The  Spurring  is  performed  by  cutting  the  vine  so 
that  spurs  of  the  young  wood  are  left  from  two  to 
three  eyes  regularly  over  the  vine  for  fruiting  ;  and  in 
different  parts  the  wood  is  cut  to  one  eye  for  throwing 
out  young  wood. 

The  Caning  system  is  performed  by  managing  the 
vine  so  that  the  fruit  is  produced  from  canes  of 
young  wood,  four  or  six  feet  long,  which  are  cut  off 
every  alternate  year  ;  and  other  shoots  are  regularly 
trained  to  take  their  places,  Experience  has  taught 
me,  that  a  medium  plan  between  the  spurring  and 
caning  system  is  the  best. 

The  best  time  for  pruning  the  grape  vine  is  the 
middle  of  February,  when  the  severity  of  the  winter 
has  acted  on  it  so  as  to  injure  the  soft  wood,  which 
is  incapable  of  producing  fruit. 

The  first  consideration  in  pruning  is  to  have  a 
sharp  knife,  in  order  that  the  wounds  where  ampu- 
tations are  made,  may  be  clean  and  smooth.  All  the 
soft  and  small  wood  must  be  taken  out,  and  then  a 
portion  of  the  old,  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  vine 
is  regularly  supplied  in  every  part  with  young  wood. 

The  principal  object  to  be  kept  in  view  is  to  leave 
proper  wood  for  fruiting,  which  is  that  of  the  last 
year's  growth  :  the  old  wood  serves  as  a  main  lead- 
er or  frame  of  the  vine.  In  selecting  the  fruiting 
wood,  care  must  be  taken  to  leave  that  which  is  well 
ripened  ;  the  eyes  should  be  plump  and  well  formed, 
and  so  that  every  part  of  the  vine  is  well  supplied, 
about  two  feet  apart,  with  young  fruiting  wood,  the 
shortening  of  which  must  be  according  to  their  qual- 
ity, to  about  ten  or  fifteen  eyes  of  young  wood, 
well  hardened,  which  will  be  discovered  by  cut- 
ting it ;  if  the  part  intended  to  be  left  is  not  hard 


116       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

and  well  ripened,  it  should   be  cut  lower  until  you 
are  satisfied. 

Having  thus  selected  your  fruiting  wood,  the  next 
consideration  is  to  leave  eyes  for  the  next  year's 
wood,  which  is  done  by  cutting  the  shoots  of  last 
year's  growth  to  two  or  three  eyes,  from  which  a 
supply  of  young  wood  will  be  obtained  for  summer 
training,  as  before  directed,  for  the  next  year's  fruit- 
ing. When  the  pruning  is  completed,  the  wood 
must  be  neatly  tied  with  bass  mat,  or  other  string,  to 
the  trellis,  and  if  any  loose  bark  or  rubbish  be  about 
it,  it  should  be  cleaned  away. 

NATURALIZING  THE  FOREIGN  GRAPE. 

ART.  6. —  Growing  the  Grape  from  Seed. 

It  is  little  to  be  doubted  that  the  native  grape,  as 
well  as  other  fruits  indigenous  to  this  country,  will 
be  at  no  very  distant  day,  much  improved  by  rais- 
ing new  varieties  from  seed,  especially  if  the  native 
varieties  are  crossed  by  the  foreign,  as,  the  native 
Isabella  with  the  foreign  Black  Hamburgh,  and  the 
Scupernong  with  the  White  Sweetwater,  Chasselas, 
&c.  of  Europe. 

From  this  crossing  it  is  very  probable  that  the 
flavor  of  the  native  varieties  will  be  much  improved, 
and  at  the  same  time  they,  being  natural  to  the  cli- 
mate, will  retain  all  the  hardy  qualities  requisite  to 
the  country.  It  is  much  to  be  hoped  that  every 
encouragement  will  be  given  to  such  persons  as  enter 
into  raising  seedling  grapes  of  the  country  :  siich 
persons  should  be  patronized  by  premiums  from 
the  different  Horticultural  Societies,  which  would 
stimulate  many  to  embark  in  a  business  that  would 


THE   GRAPE.  117 

be  really  useful  to  all  classes  of  people.  When  it 
is  recollected  that  the  crab  apple  is  the  primitive  of 
all  the  fine  varieties  of  apples  now  extant,  which 
have  be^n  worked  up  to  a  fine  quality  mostly  by  cul- 
ture and  seedlings,  it  is  as  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
the  same  improvement  is  to  be  made  on  the  grape, 
in  a  few  years.  A  trial  will  most  probably  justify 
these  remarks  if  properly  and  per severingly  followed. 
In  trying  the  experiment,  I  would  recommend  that 
the  Isabella  grape,  when  in  flower,  be  impregnated 
with  the  foreign  grape,  as  the  Black  Hamburgh  ;  or, 
perhaps,  the  Burgundy  would  be  more  proper. 
From  the  seed  of  these  grapes  raise  young  vines  by 
sowing  it  in  pots  of  rich  soil,  early  in  the  spring,  and 
plunge  the  pots  in  a  moderate  hot-bed  the  beginning 
of  March.  When  the  young  plants  are  well  rooted, 
plant  them  in  rows,  eighteen  inches  apart,  and  train 
and  manage  them  as  directed,  art.  3.  When  the 
seedlings  are  in  a  fruiting  state,  I  recommend  that 
the  best  varieties  be  selected  for  seed,  and  the  same 
experiment  be  followed  through  three  or  four  gener- 
ations, until  the  desired  object  be  obtained  of  pro- 
ducing varieties  that  are  well  flavored  and  ameliorated 
to  the  climate. 

ART.  7. — Naturalizing  the  Grape  by  Cutting,  and 
Grafting. 

While  I  am  on  the  subject  of  naturalizing  the 
foreign  grape,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  give  some 
hints  on  the  probability  of  its  being  much  facilitated 
by  a  continual  raising  of  young  vines,  yearly,  from 
cuttings  ;  and  grafting  on  the  native  varieties. 

The  experiment  I  would  recommend  to  be  tried 


118        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

is,  by  first  propagating  the  Black  Hamburgh  or 
White  Sweetwater,  from  cuttings  taken  from  a  heal- 
thy vine,  as  near  as  possible  to  the  root.  The  cut- 
tings, I  recommend  to  be  of  the  last  year's  wood, 
and  that  which  is  hard  and  short-jointed  ;  put  the 
cuttings  into  a  rich  soil,  in  an  open,  exposed  situation, 
where  they  may  have  the  free  access  of  sun  and  air 
and  the  changes  of  the  season  ;  the  plants  should  be 
distinct  by  themselves  so  that  nothing  may  retard 
their  strong  and  healthy  growth.  Every  facility 
should  be  given  to  encourage  their  growth,  and  any 
insect  or  disease  that  attacks  them,  if  possible,  be 
expelled.  One  shoot  only  should  be  allowed  to 
grow  from  the  cutting,  trained  to  a  stick,  and  not 
be  allowed  to  lay  on  the  ground,  as  it  will  be  liable 
to  be  infected  with  mildew  or  other  disease. 

From  the  young  wood  of  the  vine,  next  to  the  old 
wood,  the  following  spring,  take  another  cutting  from 
each  plant  of  three  or  four  eyes,  which  strike  and 
manage  as  before  recommended,  throwing  away  the 
mother  plant  which  will  be  useless  in  this  process. 

The  same  process  may  be  continued  for  ten  or 
fifteen  years,  when  it  is  very  probable  the  vines  from 
the  plants  of  that  generation  will  be  much  natural- 
ized and  less  subject  to  the  disease  natural  to  the  cli- 
mate. 

Another  process  may  be  tried  by  grafting  the  for- 
eign grape  upon  the  native  varieties  taken  from 
woods,  by  cleft-grafting,  which  should  be  done  close 
to  the  ground.  The  young  shoots  from  th.e  graft 
may  be  managed  as  directed  for  the  cuttings  ;  and  a 
new  plant  grafted  yearly  from  the  part  next  to  the 
stock,  on  a  fresh  plant  of  the  native  vine. 

In  throwing  out  the  above  hints,  I  cannot  pretend 


THE    GRAPE.  119 

that  a  certainty  of  gaining  the  desired  purpose  of 
naturalizing  the  foreign  grape  can  be  vouched  from 
any  practical  authority  or  experiment  that  has  been 
made  under  my  knowledge  ;  but  from  an  actual  ex- 
perience of  many  plants  that  have  become  hardened 
and  naturalized  by  nearly  the  same  treatment,  I  see 
no  reason  why  the  grape  may  not  be*  brought  to 
stand  the  climate  in  the  like  manner. 

ART.  8. — Diseases  of  the  Grape. 

From  general  observation  and  many  experiments 
I  have  been  fully  convinced  that  the  native  grapes, 
here  recommended,  when  well  cultivated,  are  sel- 
dom injured  either  by  disease  or  insects,  that  most 
kinds  of  eatable  fruits  are  subject  to  ;  and  that  most 
kinds  of  foreign  grapes,  on  the  contrary,  are  affect- 
ed by  many  diseases  and  insects,  in  a  manner  that 
will  ever  discourage  their  culture  in  the  vineyard  or 
open  exposure,  unless  they  can  be  naturalized  to  the 
climate.  On  a  deliberate  examination  of  the  grape 
vine,  T  think  the  above  remarks  may  be  fully  au- 
thenticated, and  it  will  be  found  that  the  native 
grape  vine  is  naturally  of  a  more  hardy  and  compact 
texture  in  its  wood,  leaves,  berries,  and  indeed,  in 
every  part,  than  the  foreign  varieties  :  hence  mildew 
and  insects  are  not  so  likely  to  infect  the  native  as 
the  foreign  grape.  I  am  firmly  of  opinion  that 
the  casualties  that  happen  to  the  grape,  generally  are 
more  owing  to  the  feeble  nature  of  the  vine,  than 
any  blights  or  insects  that  attack  it  at  any  period  of 
its  growth,  although  at  the  same  time  I  am  aware 
that  the  most  healthy  vines  are  often  affected  by 
disease  and  insects,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree.  By 


120       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

comparing  the  leaves  of  the  native  and  foreign  grape, 
it  will  be  seen  that  the  former  are  of  a  much  firmer 
and  more  compact  nature  than  the  latter,  and  per- 
haps, as  nature  is  ever  perfect  in  her  works,  such 
leaves  do  not  either  perspire  or  respire  so  freely  as 
those  of  the  foreign  grape,  that  are  of  a  softer  and 
more  succulent  nature  ;  and  hence  we  may  infer  that 
the  sudden  changes  do  not  act  so  injuriously  on  the 
native  as  on  the  foreign  grape.  The  wood  of  the 
foreign  grape  is  rarely  well  ripened  in  the  fall,  and 
has  generally  more  pith  than  the  native ;  therefore, 
supposing  it  was  not  attacked  by  disease  in  the  sum- 
mer, the  winter's  severity  and  sudden  changes  would 
naturally  act  very  severely  on  it,  particularly  on  a 
southern  aspect,  where  the  sap  is  liable  to  be  often 
frozen  and  thawed  during  the  winter  and  early  part 
of  spring,  which  must  certainly  burst  some  of  the 
sap-vessels  and  cause  much  injury  to  it. 

The  most  injurious  disease  to  the  grape  is  the 
mildew,  which  always  affects  the  weak  and  tender 
parts  of  the  vine,  as,  the  young  leaves  and  tender 
branches,  and  from  those  to  the  bunches  of  grapes, 
which  seldom  recover  when  once  diseased.  I  have 
never  been  fully  satisfied  that  any  cure  can  be  made 
of  the  mildew  when  vines  are  much  diseased  ;  I  be- 
lieve that  when  once  a  vine  is  affected  in  any  part, 
the  disease  is  soon  conveyed  to  every  part  through 
the  sap-vessels,  aad  the  constitution  of  the  vine  is  so 
materially  injured  that  it  takes  some  time  to  recover 
it  to  its  pristine  health  and  quality. 

Whether  the  mildew  is  an  animalcule  or  fungus, 
I  will  not  pretend  to  determine ;  but  I  am  of 
opinion  that  it  is  at  first  generated  by  a  stagnation 
taking  place  in  the  leaf,  in  such  a  manner  that  the 


THE    GRAPE.  121 

pores  of  it  are  stopped  ;  the  consequence  is,  that  an 
impure  matter  is  present  which  is  imbibed  by  the 
leaf,  which  contaminates  the  sap  of  the  vine,  and  is 
thence  communicated  to  every  part  of  it  in  a  shorter 
or  longer  period.  I  shall  not  pretend  to  prescribe 
any  remedy  as  a  cure  ;  but  remind  my  reader  that 
good  culture  may,  in  a  great  measure,  in  this  and 
every  other  case  of  disease,  be  the  best  remedy  ; 
for  certain  it  is,  that  all  kinds  of  vegetables  are  most 
severely  injured  by  disease  when  weakly,  and  the 
more  healthy  they  are,  the  less  liable  to  be  affected. 

ART.  9. — Select  Varieties  of  Native  Grapes. 

'  '"'* 
The  native  varieties  best  adapted  for  arbors,  and 

general  culture  that  I  am  at  present  acquainted  with, 
are  the  Isabella  and  Catawba,  which  are  described 
as  follows  in  u  Kenrick's  Orchardist"  a  work  that 
should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  fruit  grower. 

"  Isabella. — This  fine  native  grape  is  extraordina- 
ry for  the  vigor  of  its  growth,  and  wonderful  pro- 
ductiveness. The  bunches  are  of  a  large  size  ;  the 
berries  are  large  and  of  an  oval  form  ;  the  color  is 
a  dark  purple,  approaching  to  black,  and  covered 
with  bloom  ;  the  skin  is  thin,  with  but  little  pulp  ; 
the  flesh  is  juicy,  rich,  sweet  and  vinous.  By  hang- 
ing the  bunches  in  a  room,  it  has  been  ascertained 
that  they  lose  that  very  small  portion  of  muskiness 
they  possess.  This  grape  makes  excellent  wine^ 
and  requires  no  protection  in  this  climate. 

u  Catawba. — This  is  an  excellent  grape  for  wine  ; 
the  bunches  are  of  very  handsome  size  and  form, 
and  shouldered  ;  the  berries  are  a  deep  purple,  next 
the  sun  ;  the  skin  is  thin,  juicy,  sweet>  rich  and 


122        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

vinous,  with  a  very  little  of  the  native  or  musky 
taste.  This  vine  is  very  vigorous  and  hardy,  and  is 
a  great  and  certain  bearer." 

Winnie. — This  grape  is  much  cultivated  and  es- 
teemed in  Albany,  and  is  similar  to  the  Isabella  ;  it 
is  said  to  have  been  found  by  a  Mr  Winnie,  of  that 
place,  from  whom  it  derives  its  name,  and  is  highly 
deserving  culture  as  a  native  grape  of  the  first  order. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MANAGEMENT    OF    THE    VINERY. 

WHEN  the  many  good  qualities  which  the  foreign 
grape  possesses  are  taken  into  consideration,  it  may 
be  said  to  excel  almost  any  fruit  as  yet  known  in  the 
forcing  department.  Its  long  tested  qualities  as  be- 
ing replete  (when  well  ripened)  with  a  rich,  highly 
flavored,  luscious  juice,  in  connection  with  its  hand- 
some appearance,  particularly  recommend  it  to  the 
dessert,  in  which  it  has  been  held  in  high  esteem  in 
almost  all  countries,  for  many  years. 

The  produce  of  the  grape,  when  well  managed 
and  the  mildew  can  be  evaded,  is  always  encouraging 
in  the  highest  degree,  as,  in  most  cases,  the  crop 
fully  compensates  those  who  bestow  hot-house  cul- 
ture on  it.  To  these,  may  be  added,  the  longevity 
of  the  vine  and  a  succession  of  fruit  for  the  table 
when  in  eating,  and,  lastly,  a  very  handsome  appear- 
ance in  a  bearing  state. 

ART.  1. — Planting  and  Preparing  the   Finery. 

The  preparing  and  planting  the  Vinery  should  be 
carefully  attended  to,  as  the  future  produce  will 


THE    GRAPE,  123 

much  depend  on  its  being  properly  managed  at  first. 
The  house  may  be  of  almost  any  construction  ;  but 
that  of  a  moderate  size  is  the  best — one  of  about 
forty  feet  long  and  fourteen  feet  wide,  in  the  clear, 
built  in  such  a  manner  as  to  admit  of  glass  three 
feet  in  front,  and  the  back,  which  should  be  of  brick, 
of  a  height  to  allow  an  elevation  of  45  degrees, 
when  the  roof  is  put  on,  which  should  be  all  glass. 
In  the  inside  of  the  house  a  pit  may  be  built  of  brick, 
six  feet  wide  and  four  feet  deep.  The  pit  may  be 
in  the  centre  of  the  house  which  will  admit  a  walk, 
each  side,  of  four  feet  wide,  and  the  same  may  be 
allowed  in  the  end.  A  pit  of  this  kind  may  be  turn- 
ed to  good  advantage  in  the  winter  for  preserving 
lettuce,  celery,  and  other  vegetables  which  require 
the  frost  only  to  be  kept  away  from  them.  About 
the  beginning  of  March  the  pit  may  be  cleaned  out 
and  a  quantity  of  hot  manure  put  in  to  make  a  mod- 
erate hot-bed,  which,  when  the  heat  begins  to  rise, 
may  be  earthed  with  good  soil  for  the  purpose  of 
sowing  on  it' radish,  cabbage,  lettuce  and  such  early 
^salads  and  plants  as  are  wanted  for  family  use.  A 
part  of  the  pit  may  also  be  used  for  forcing  of  aspa- 
ragus, tart  rhubarb  or  pie-plant,  and  any  kind  of 
perennial  herbs,  as  mint,  taragon,  and  the  like  ;  in- 
deed, a  bed  of  the  kind  may  be  made  generally  use- 
ful. The  culture  and  heat  requisite  for  such  plants 
will  also  be  congenial  to  starting  the  vines  in  a  strong, 
vigorous  manner.  A  few  green-house  plants  may 
be  accommodated  in  the  vinery,  placed  on  the  curb 
of  the  pit  and  back  of  the  house  ;  but  I  cannot 
by  any  means  recommend  it  to  be  entirely  appro- 
priated as  a  green-house  to  winter  plants,  which  in 
the  spring  must  be  much  injured  by  being  shaded 


124       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

with  the  vines,  and  the  heat  and  moisture  requisite 
for  the  grape  being  quite  contrary  to  the  health  of 
the  green-house  plants.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
foul  effluvia  that  will  arise  from  the  soil  and  perspir- 
ation of  the  green-house  plants  will  settle  and  con- 
dense on  the  leaves  of  the  vines  and  bring  on  a  dis- 
ease ;  the  young  bunches  of  grapes  will  decay  and 
drop  off,  and  in  fact,  to  be  candid,  it  is  impossible 
for  any  person  to  do  justice  to  anything  so  opposite 
in  nature  as  green-house  plants  and  the  grape  vine,  at 
an  early  season. 

When  grapes  are  intended  to  be  grown  in  hot- 
houses, every  other  thing  accommodated  should  be 
considered  as  temporary,  and  the  grape  should,  in 
every  way,  be  accommodated,  as  near  as  possible, 
to  its  aature,  or  little  good  can  be  expected. 

Location.— r-I  have  most  generally  found  the  vine- 
ry to  do  best,  by  being  located  on  a  rising  situation, 
protected  at  the  north  and  north-west  quarter  by  a 
plantation  of  trees  or  buildings.  It  should  be  so 
situated  as  to  face  to  the  south  or  south-east  quar- 
ter ;  but  the  latter  I  would  recommend,  as  in  that  as- 
pect it  will  receive  the.  morning  sun,  so  congenial  to 
the  grape  vine. 

Preparing  the  border  for  planting.-^-The  border 
for  the  vinery  may  be  prepared  by  digging  out  the 
soil,  three  feet  deep,  in  front  of  the  house,  and  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  feet  wide  ;  or,  as  wide  as  the  vines 
have  to  traverse  under  the  roof,  will  perhaps,  be  a 
better  criterion,  as  most  plants,  the  vine  particularly, 
are  found  to  extend  their  roots  in  the  earth  as  far  in 
length  or  distance  as  trrey  grow  in  height.  If  the 
bottom  or  sub  soil  is  wet,  it  will  be  better  to  dig  out 
the  soil  a  foot  deeper  than  is  requisite,  and  fill  it  up 


THE    GRAPE.  125 

with  old  mortar,  rubbish,  or  anything  that  will  drain 
off  the  water  ;  as  the  grape  always  thrives  best  on 
dry  bottoms.  When  the  border  is  thus  prepared,  it 
will  require  to  be  filled  with  compost  in  the  month 
of  September. 

Preparing  the  Compost— -The  compost,  which 
I  have  mostly  found  to  answer  the  best  purpose  for 
the  vinery,  is  a  mellow  loam,  well  incorporated  with 
one  third  part  of  rotten  manure,  or,  in  order  to  have 
a  border  prepared  in  a  superior  manner,  the  top  sod 
of  a  rich,  loamy  pasture  may  be  taken  off  six  inches 
deep,  and  thrown  into  a  heap  with  one  third  rotten 
manure  ;  and  if  a  portion  of  manure  from  a  slaugh- 
ter house  is  added,  it  will  answer  a  good  purpose. 

The  compost  may  be  thrown  into  the  pit  or  bor- 
der, where  it  may  lay  a  month  or  two  to  get  into  a 
state  of  fermentation,  when  it  should  be  turned  and 
wrell  mixed  as  a  manure  heap.  This  may  be  done 
two  or  three  times  in  order  to  incorporate  it  well  to- 
gether. I  would  also  recommend  about  50  Ibs.  of 
sulphur  to  be  mixed  with  the  compost,  the  last  time 
of  turning,  which  will  destroy  many  insects  detri- 
mental to  the  vine,  and  act  as  a  stimulant  to  it. 

Planting  the  Fines. — In  planting  the  vinery  ev- 
ery precaution  should  be  taken  to  procure  select 
kinds  of  grapes  of  respectable  nursery-men,  who 
can  be  relied  on  as  to  correctness.  I  have  often 
seen  grape-houses  furnished  with  ordinary  sorts  of 
grapes,  owing  to  injudicious  selections,  which  have 
been  replanted  at  a  great  expense,  and  the  loss  of 
two  or  three  year's  growth,  which  is  considerable  in 
such  cases.  The  vines  for  planting  should  be  at 
least  two  years  old,  and  if  raised  from  the  eye  the 


126  FRUIT    GARDEN  COMPANION. 

better.*  The  best  time  for  planting  is  early  in  the 
spring,  about  the  latter  end  of  March.  The  vines 
may  be  planted  as  directed,  under  the  head  of 
planting.  One  plant  to  each  rafter  may  be  planted 
outside  the  house,  in  front,  in  such  a  manner  that  it 
can  be  introduced  into  the  house  by  a  hole  four  inch- 
es in  diameter,  cut  under  the  front  sill  directly  un- 
der the  rafter. 


ART.  2. — First  Year's  .Management. 

The  only  thing  requisite  in  training  vines  the 
first  year,  is  to  train  up  one  shoot  under  the  rafter 
from  each  vine  in  a  straight  manner,  on  a  wire 
placed  directly  under  it,  about  twelve  inches  from 
the  glass.  The  lateral  shoots  should  be  managed  as 
before  directed,  by  kipping  in  with  the  finger  and 
thumb  nails  to  within  one  joint  of  the  main  shoot. 

Syringing  the  Fines. — On  the  mornings  of  fine 
clear  days,  the  vines  will  require  a  gentle  syringing,f 
and  in  the  evening,  also,  when  the  leaves  can  be 
dried  after  the  operation  ;  but  it  may  always  be 
omitted  in  moist  weather,  particularly  late  in  the 
season,  in  order  to  ripen  and  harden  the  wood  of  the 
vines,  and  the  house  in  every  part  should  be  kept  as 
dry  as  possible.  Particular  care  should  be  taken  at 
all  times  to  keep  the  house  clean  and  wholesome, 
that  a  healthy  internal  air  may  always  be  present, 
which  will  greatly  facilitate  the  growth  of  the  vines. 

*  Mr  Wm  McCullough  of  South  Boston,  has  fine  plants  of  grapes 
raised  from  the  eye,  and  being  a  practical  cultivator,  the  kinds  can 
be  warranted  of  the  best  quality. 

t  A  superior  instrument  for  this  purpose  can  be  purchased  of  most 
Nurserymen  and  Seedsmen,  at  from  five  to  seven  dollars  each. 


THE    GRAPE.  127 

ART.  3. — Second  Year's  Management. 

Pruning  the  Vines. — 'The  vines  should  be  pruned 
in  January  or  February,  more  or  less,  according  to 
their  structure  ;  but  the  grape  makes  such  luxuriant 
wood  in  this  country,  that  I  have  known  fine  crops 
of  grapes  taken  from  the  second  year's  growth. 
However,  it  is  a  system  which  I  cannot  recommend, 
nor,  indeed,  for  any  fruit  trees  or  vines  that  are  to 
acquire  a  large  growth.  If  "the  habit  is  strong  when 
young,  it  will  be  sure  to  be  weakened  in  time.  But 
I  would  not  advise,  in  any  case,  for  nature  to  be  im- 
peded, by  any  process,  to  hasten  fruiting  ;  which 
will  always,  in  a  measure,  retard  the  future  growth 
and  luxuriance  of  trees,  vines,  &c.  Therefore,  the 
method  that  I  would  recommend  is,  to  shorten  the 
vines  to  two  eyes  at  the  end  of  the  rafter  at  the  front 
of  the  house,  in  order  to  take  one  or  two  canes  up 
the  second  year,  and  the  vines  may  be  treated  in 
every  way  as  in  the  first  year  of  their  management. 

ART.  4. — Forcing  the  Grape. 

Pruning  the  Vines. — The  first  consideration  in 
grape-forcing  is  in  pruning  the  vines,  which  may  be 
performed  any  time  in  the  month  of  January  or  the 
beginning  of  February.  The  methods,  as  before 
stated,  ara various.  The  most  simple  and  generally 
adopted  in  this  country  with  the  greatest  success,  is 
that  which  is  recommended  in  art.  5,  chap.  v. 

Forcing  the  House. — Supposing  the  pruning  to 
be  performed,  and  the  house  to  be  begun,  the  latter 
end  of  February,  or  the  beginning  of  March, — begin 
by  first  merely  warming  the  flues  at  night,  and  giv- 


128  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

ing  air  on  a  fine  day,  to  get  the  house  and  flues  in 
good  order,  which  will  be  in  a  few  days  ;  when  the 
fire  heat  may  be  kept  at  night  to  45°,  and  the  sun 
heat  to  60°,  for  a  week  or  two,  to  get  the  sap  in  cir- 
culation, when  the  fire  heat  may  be  raised  to  50°  or 
55°,  and  the  sun  heat  to  65°  or  70°,  with  air,  on  a 
very  fine  day.  During  the  process,  the  vines  must 
be  well  syringed  on  each  fine  morning,  and  slightly 
in  the  evening  after  a  sunny  day,  as  they  will,  in  that 
case,  be  in  a  dry  condition  and  imbibe  the  moisture 
freely,  which  will  greatly  facilitate  breaking  the 
buds  strong.  The  best  time  of  syringing  in  the 
morning  varies  with  the  season  ;  early  in  March,  the 
house  should  be  warmed  with  the  sun  before  the 
syringe  is  applied,  or  it  will  be  much  chilled  by  the 
operation.  As  the  season  advances,  the  operation 
may  be  performed,  by  degrees,  earlier  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  in  time  it  may  be  performed  at  sunrise  ; 
but,  in  all  cases,  it  must  be  performed  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  vines  will  soon  dry.  Wet,  remain- 
ing on  any  plant  long  in  the  process  of  forcing,  is, 
in  all  cases,  injurious,  by  overcharging  the  surface  of 
their  leaves  with  water  ;  for,  in  that  condition,  they 
are  not  capable  of  going  through  their  proper  func- 
tions of  perspiration  and  respiration,  owing  to  the 
pores  of  the  leaves  being  stopped  with  water  ;  con- 
sequently, sickness  must  ensue  in  proportion  to  the 
deprivation. 

When  the  vines  begin  to  break  at  the  eye,  an  inch 
or  two  long,  they  are  to  be  finger-pruned  by  break- 
ing off  the  side  shoots,  leaving  only  one,  which 
should  be  the  centre,  which  cdntains  the  fruit  in  em- 
bryo. The  side  shoots  are  what  are  generally  called 
by  gardeners  water-shoots,  and  require  in  all  cases  to 


THE    GRAPE*  129 

be  taken  off  at  an  early  period,  as  they  are  injurious 
to  the  vine  by  drawing  nutriment  to  an  unfruitful 
branch. 

When  the  shoots  begin  to  show  fruit  bunches,  the 
heat  may  be  raised  at  night  to  60°  or  65°  ;  at  all 
events  it  should  never  be  under  60°  after  this  period. 
The  sun  heat  may  be  allowed  to  run  75°  or  80°. 

Finger  Pruning.- — The  vines  may  now  be  finger 
pruned  by  taking  away  all  useless  shoots  with  the  finger 
and  thumb,  and  leaving  the  young  wood  as  regular  as 
possible  in  all  parts  of  the  house.  The  young  wood 
may  now  be  stopped  where  fruit  bunches  show  one 
or  two  eyes  from  the  bunch,  by  nipping  it  off  a  little 
above  the  joint  with  the  finger  and  the  thumb.  The 
weak  shoots  may  be  stopped  one  joint,  and  the 
strong,  two  from  the  bunch.  But  where  the  young 
wood  is  wanted  to  fill  up  vacancies,  the  shoots  may 
be  left  two  or  three  feet  in  length  to  furnish  such 
places. 

Regulating  and  tying  in  the  young  wood. — The 
next  thing  to  be  attended  to  is  the  tying  in,  and  re- 
gulating the  young  wood,  which  should  be  very 
carefully  done  by  tying  in  the  shoots  neatly  to  the 
trellis,  with  bass  string,  in  a  regular  manner,  so  that 
every  part  of  the  vine  has  free  access  to  sun  and 
light.  The  lateral  or  side  shoots  may  also  be  stop- 
ped one  eyefrorii  the  main  shoot  as  before  directed; 
and  every  part  of  the  vine  should  be  kept  neat  and 
clean. 

Management  of  the  house,  in  flower. — When  the 
vines  begin  to  flower  or  blossom,  the  syringe  must 
be  suspended  ;  as  moisture  too  plentifully  applied, 
will,  in  a  measure,  injure  the  setting  of  the  young 
berries  or  fruit,  by  their  being  damped  off;  but  care 
9 


130  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

must  be  taken  to  keep  up  a  moist  brisk  heat,  as  too 
much  cold  retards  the  growth  of  the  young  fruit, 
which  will  be  perceived  by  the  bunches  turning  up 
at  the  point,  which  is  always  a  bad  sign.  The  bot- 
tom of  the  house  and  flues  may  be  kept  moderately 
moist  in  order  to  give  a  moist  heat.  The  tempera- 
ture of  the  house  may  be  kept  at  night,  at  fire  heat, 
from  65°  to  70°,  and  sun  heat  in  the  day  from  80° 
to  85°  with  air,  which  may  be  continued  until  the 
ripening  of  the  fruit. 

Swelling  the  fruit. — So  soon  as  the  fruit  shows 
in  the  bunch  as  large  as  a  very  small  pea,  apply  the 
syringe  in  a  very  gentle  manner.  It  will  be  recol- 
lected that  the  fruit  in  this  state  is  very  delicate  ;  ap- 
ply the  syringe,  if  in  a  partial  manner  on  a  few  bunch- 
es that  are  set  over  the  flue  at  the  warm  end  of  the 
house.  When  the  whole  of  the  house  is  well  set, 
syringe  regularly  in  the  morning  a  little  after  sunrise, 
in  order  that  the  vines  may  get  dry  before  it  is  too 
strong  ;  and  in  all  cases  give  a  little  air  in  the  least 
possible  quantity  at  the  back  of  the  house.  A  brisk 
moist  heat  may  be  kept  up,  and  the  house  always 
closed  about  an  hour  before  sundown ;  but  care 
must  be  taken  that  it  is  not  too  damp,  which  is 
sometimes,  perhaps,  the  cause  of  mildew. 

Thinning  the  bunches  and  fruit. — When  the 
bunches  are  all  set,  and  all  is  going  on  well,  the 
house  may  undergo  a  regular  thinning  of  the  bunch- 
es, and  I  would  recommend  in  most  cases  that  one 
bunch  only  be  left  on  a  weak  shoot,  and  two  on  a 
strong.  Remember  you  want  fruit  next  year,  and 
if  you  overload  this,  some  deficiency  will  be  in  the 
next,  if  not  the  present  year.  The  fruit  will  not  be 
so  well  ripened,  nor  good  in  quality,  and  besides,  you 


THE    GRAPE.  131 

will  bring  on  a  weakness  by  a  heavy  crop,  and  per- 
haps that  pest  of  vegetation,  the  mildew.  I  must 
call  your  attention  to  thinning  the  fruit  in  the  bunch, 
which  will  require  to  be  done  in  a  neat,  clean,  and 
expeditious  manner.  The  time  is  when  the  fruit  is 
as  large  as  a  small  sized  pea.  For  the  purpose  pro- 
cure a  pair  of  scissors  with  long  handles  and  narrow 
pointed  blades.  In  the  operation  commence  thin- 
ning the  grapes  at  the  point  of  the  bunch,  by  taking 
out  all  the  small  sized  berries  and  part  of  the  large, 
in  a  regular  manner  ;  so  that  each  will  have  equal 
room  to  swell  in  the  bunch  to  its  proper  size,  which 
must  be  judged  according  to  the  natural  size  of  the 
grape,  when  fully  grown.  In  this  operation  care 
must  be  taken  not  to  prick  any  of  the  fruit  or  any 
part  of  the  bunch  with  the  scissors,  nor  bruise  them 
with  the  head,  hands,  or  by  any  other  means,  which 
will  greatly  injure  the  growth  of  the  berries  in  this 
stage. 

The  vines  may  now  be  regularly  gone  over  by 
stopping  the  young  shoots,  tieing  in,  and  the  like,  as 
before  directed. 

Stoning  the  fruit. — When  the  fruit  is  grown 
nearly  to  its  size,  it  will  begin  to  swell  its  seeds  or 
stones,  which  will  be  perceived  by  the  grapes  ma- 
king but  little  growth.  At  this  time  the  house  should 
be  kept  in  a  moderate  temperature  ;  at  night  about 
65  degrees,  and  in  the  day  from  75  to  80  degrees. 
The  vines  may  now  be  moderately  syringed,  but  not 
too  much  ;  as,  at  this  period,  it  will  be  recollected  that 
the  fruit  is  not  in  a  growing  state,  and  consequently, 
cannot  imbibe  so  much  moisture.  When  this  pro- 
cess is  over,  which  may  be  ascertained  by  cutting 


132       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION* 

the  berries  and  finding  the  seed  hard,  the  syringe 
may  be  more  generally  applied.  The  temperature 
may  be  now  a  little  raised  in  order  to  swell  the  fruit 
more  freely  ;  and  every  precaution  must  be  taken  to 
keep  a  clean  and  wholesome  air  in  the  house. 

Ripening  the  fruit. -^-Wh^n  the  fruit  begins  to 
color,  the  syringe  may  be  suspended,  and  the  house 
be  kept  dry.  The  temperature  may  be  kept  from 
70  to  80  degrees  fire  heat,  at  night,  if  the  fruit  is  in 
haste  to  be  ripened,  although  70  degrees  will  an- 
swer a  better  purpose  if  not  in  haste.  Plenty  of 
air  should  be  given  in  a  fine  day  in  order  to  color 
and  give  flavor  to  the  fruit  ;  in  this  manner  the  house 
may  be  managed  until  the  fruit  is  all  ripe  and  cut 
from  the  vine.  The  sashes  should  then  be  taken  off 
and  the  house  fully  exposed  to  the  sun  and  air,  in 
order  to  ripen  the  wood  previous  to  the  ensuing 
winter,  when  the  glasses  may  again  be  put  on  the 
house. 

General  remarks  on  grape  forcing. — The  ex- 
perienced forcer  will  perceive  that  the  heat  herein 
recommended  is  somewhat  higher  than  is  generally 
recommended  by  practical  forcers,  who  have  written 
en  the  grape  in  England  ;  my  object  in  which  is  to 
biing  the  fruit  to  maturity  early  in  the  season,  to 
evade  the  mildew,  which  in  most  cases  is  destruc- 
tive to  the  grape  late  in  summer.  My  secondary 
object  is,  considering  this  climate  of  a  more  clear 
atmosphere,  and  more  sun  in  the  early  part  of  the 
spring,  admitting  more  external  air  to  the  house, 
which  should  be  modified  by  internal  heat  from  fire, 
in  which  case  I  have  generally  found  the  impure  va- 
por ascending  from  internal  heat  is  much  rectified 
by  the  admission  of  the  external  air. 


THE    GRAPE, 


133 


ART.  5, —  On    the  Culture   of  the   Grape   in  the 
Vinery. 

When  the  many  good  qualities  which  the  foreign 
grape  possesses,  are  taken  into  consideration,  it  may 
be  said  to  excel  almost  any  fruit  as  yet  known  in  the 
forcing  department.  Its  long  tested  qualities  as  being 
replete,  (when  well  ripened,)  with  a  rich,  highly  fla- 
vored, luscious  juice,  in  connection  with  its  hand- 
some appearance,  particularly  recommend  it  to  the 
dessert,  in  which  it  has  been  in  high  esteem  in  almost 
all  countries  for  many  years. 

The  produce  of  the  grape  when  well  managed, 
and  when  the  mildew  can  be  evaded,  is  always  encour- 
aging in  the  highest  degree,  as,  in  most  cases,  the 
crop  fully  compensates  those  who  bestow  hot-house 
culture  on  it.  To  these  may  be  added  the  longevity 
of  the  vine  and  a  succession  of  fruit  for  the  table 
when  in  eating,  and  lastly  a  very  handsome  appear- 
ance when  in  a  bearing  state. 

Location  of  the  the  house,  preparing  and  plant- 
ing,— The  location  most  adapted  for  the  vinery, 
is  on  a  dry  situation,  facing  to  south  or  southeast 
quarter,  well  protected  on  the  north  and  northwest 
quarter,  with  a  plantation  of  trees  or  buildings  and 
so  situated  as  to  have  a  full  share  of  the  morning 
sun,  so  congenial  to  the  grape. 

The  preparing  and  planting  the  vinery  should  be 
carefully  attended  to,  as  the  future  produce  will 
much  depend  on  its  being  properly  managed  at  the 
first.  The  house  may  be  of  almost  any  construc- 
tion, but  that  of  a  moderate  size  is  the  best.  One 
of  about  forty  feet  long  and  fourteen  wide,  in  the 


134        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

clear,  built  so  as  to  admit  three  feet  of  glass  in 
height  in  the  front  ;  and,  the  back,  which  should  be 
of  brick,  of  a  height  to  allow  an  elevation  of  forty 
five  degrees  when  the  roof  is  put  on,  which  should 
be  all  of  glass,  will  answer  a  good  purpose.  In 
the  inside  of  the  house  a  pit  may  be  built  of  brick, 
six  feet  wide  and  four  feet  deep.  The  pit  may  be 
in  the  centre  of  the  house  which  will  admit  a  walk 
four  feet  wide  each  side  of  it,  and  the  same  or  more 
may  be  allowed  at  the  end. 

A  pit  of  this  kind  may  be  turned  to  good  ad- 
vantage in  the  winter  for  preserving  lettuce,  celery, 
and  other  vegetables  which  only  require  the  frost  to 
be  kept  away  from  them.  About  the  beginning  of 
'March  the  pit  may  be  cleared  out  and  a  quantity  of 
hot  manure  put  into  it,  to  make  a  moderate  hot-bed, 
which,  when  the  heat  begins  to  rise,  may  be  earthed 
with  good  soil  a  foot  deep,  for  the  purpose  of  sowing 
on  it  radish,  cabbage,  lettuce  and  such  early  salads 
and  plants  as  are  wanted  for  family  use.  A  part  of 
the  pit  may  also  be  used  for  forcing  asparagus,  pie 
plant,  and  any  kind  of  perennial  herbs,  as  mint,  jar- 
agon  and  the  like  ;  indeed  a  bed  of  the  kind  may  be 
made  generally  useful.  The  culture  and  heat  re- 
quisite for  such  plants  will  be  also  congenial  to  start- 
ing the  vines,  in  a  strong,  vigorous  manner.  A  few 
green-house  plants  may  be  accommodated  in  the 
vinery,  placed  on  the  top  of  the  pit,  and  back  of  the 
house  ;  but  I  cannot,  by  any  means,  recommend  it 
to  be  entirely  appropriated  as  a  green-house  to  win- 
ter plants,  which  in  the  -spring  must  be  much  injured 
by  being  shaded  with  the  vines,  and  the  heat  and 
moisture  requisite  for  the  vines  being  quite  contrary 
to  the  health  of  green-house  plants.  On  the  other 


THE    GRAPE.  135 

hand,  the  foul  effluvia  that  will  arise  from  the  soil 
and  perspiration  of  the  plants,  will  settle  and  con- 
dense on  the  leaves  of  the  young  vines,  and  bring 
on  disease;  the  young  bunches  of  grapes  will 
decay  and  rot  off,  and,  in  fact,  it  is  impossible  for 
any  person  to  do  justice,  to  anything  so  opposite  in 
nature  as  green-house  plants  and  grape  vines,  at  an 
early  season. 

When  grapes  are  intended  to  be  grown  in  hot- 
houses, every  other  thing  accommodated  should  be 
considered  as  temporary,  and  the  grape  should,  in 
every  ivay,  be  treated  as  near  as  possible  to  its  nature, 
or  little  good  can  be  expected. 

Preparing  the  border  for  planting. — The  border 
for  the  grapery,  is  generally  prepared  on  the  outside 
of  the  house,  of  the  length  of  the  front,  and  the 
vines  are  planted  close  to  the  front  walk,  and  brought 
into  the  house  under  the  sill,  one  vine  under  each 
rafter.  The  manner  adopted  is  to  dig  out  the  soil 
from  two  and  a  half  to  three  feet  deep,  and  from 
twelve  to  fifteen,  or  as  wide  as  the  vines  have  to 
traverse  under  the  roof,  will  perhaps,  be  a  better 
criterion,  as  most  plants  (the  vine  particularly)  are 
found  to  extend  their  roots  in  the  earth  as  far  in 
length  or  distance  as  they  grow  in  height.  If  the 
bottom  is  wet,  it  will  be  better  to  dig  out  the  soil  a 
foot  deeper,  and  fill  it  up  with  old  mortar  rubbishv  or 
anything  that  will  draw  off  the  water,  as  the  grape 
vine  always  thrives  best  on  dry  bottoms.  When  the 
border  is  thus  prepared,  it  will  require  to  be  filled 
with  compost,  in  the  month  of  September. 

Preparing  the  compost. — The  compost  which  I 
have  found  to  answer  a  good  purpose,  for  the  vinery 
is  a  mellow  loam,  well  incorporated  with  one  third 


136       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

rotten  manure,  or,  in  order  to  have  a  border  pre- 
pared in  a  superior  manner,  the  top  sod  of  a  rich, 
loamy  pasture  may  be  taken  off  six  inches  deep,  and 
thrown  into  a  heap  ;  if  one-third  rotten  manure  from 
a  slaughter  house  is  added  it  will  answer  a  good  pur- 
pose. 

The  compost  may  be  thrown  into  the  pit  or  bor- 
der, where  it  may  lay  a  month  or  two  to  get  into  a 
state  of  fermentation,  when  it  should  be  turned  and 
well  mixed  as  a  manure  heap.  This  may  be  done 
two  or  three  times,  in  order  to  incorporate  it  well 
together.  I  would  also  recommend  about  fifty  pounds 
of  sulphur  or  a  barrel  of  air  slacked  lime  to  be  mixed 
with  the  compost  the  last  time  of  turning,  which  will 
destroy  many  insects  detrimental  to  the  vine,  and  act 
as  a  stimulant  to  its  growth. 

Planting  the  vines. — In  planting  the  vinery  every 
precaution  should  be  taken  to  procure  select  kinds 
of  grape  of  respectable  nursery-men,  or  amateurs, 
who  can  be  relied  on,  for  correctness.  I  have  often 
seen  grape-houses  furnished  with  ordinary  sorts 
of  grapes,  owing  to  injudicious  selections,  which 
have  been  replanted  at  a  great  expense  and  loss  of 
two  or  three  years'  growth,  which  is  considerable  in 
such  cases.  The  vines  for  planting  should  at  least 
be  two  year's  old,  and  those  raised  from  the  eye  and 
rooted  in  pots  expressly  for  the  purpose,  are  the 
best.*  The  best  time  for  planting  is  early  in  the 
spring,  about  the  latter  part  of  March  or  begin- 
ning of  April.  One  plant  to  each  rafter  may  be 

*  Fine  plants  of  this  description  have  been  cultivated  by  Mr 
McCullough,  of  South  Boston,  this  year,  1838;  a  scientific  and  prac- 
tical gardener,  who  can  be  relied  on  as  to  the  correctness  of  his  varie- 
ties. 


THE     GRAPE.  137 

planted  outside  the  house,  in  front  so  that  it  can  be 
introduced  into  the  house  by  a  hole  four  inches  in 
diameter,  cut  under  the  front  sill  directly  under  the 
rafter  through  which  the  vines  are  to  be  introduced  to 
the  inside  of  the  house. 


PART  FOURTH. 

MISCELLANEOUS     ARTICLES 

AND 

DESCRIPTIVE    LISTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ART.  1. —  On  Gathering  and  Picking  Fruit. 

THE  manner  of  gathering  or  picking  fruit  is  by 
many  persons  considered  of  so  simple  a  nature,  that 
it  requires  no  very  particular  attention.  It  seems 
unreasonable  to  suppose  that  choice  fruit,  after 
much  trouble  and  expense  in  cultivation,  should  be 
injured  in  its  flavor  and  appearance  by  the  mere  act 
of  picking,  and  conveying  even  a  short  distance,  but 
such  is  often  the  fact. 

In  order  to  illustrate  the  above  remark,  it  will  be 
proper  to  direct  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  sub- 
jects which  may  be  duly  investigated  in  their  proper 
seasons. 

The  strawberry,  one  of  the  earliest  and  best 
fruits,  is  often  not  only  deprived  of  its  natural  beauty 
when  placed  on  the  table,  but  also  much  of  its  fine 
qualities  by  improper  picking  and  bringing  to  table. 
In  picking  it  is  generally  deprived  of  its  strig,  calyx, 


GATHERING    FRUIT.  139 

and  receptacle,  in  doing  which  the  fruit,  or  pulp,  is 
compressed  between  the  finger  and  thumb,  and  de- 
tached from  those  parts  by  the  pressure,  by  which 
the  fruit  is  often  much  bruised,  and  injured  in  flavor. 
In  this  state  it  is  conveyed  in. baskets,  boxes,  &c.5 
to  its  destination,  and  when  prepared  in  dishes  for 
the  table,  it  has  more  the  appearance  of  a  jam,  than 
of  a  fruit  from  the  vine  to  be  eaten  separately  ; 
whilst  if  it  had  the  strig  and  natural  appendages,  its 
appearance  would  be  extremely  handsome.  So 
much  for  appearance.  The  next  consideration  is 
quality  ;  which  is  evidently  partly  destroyed  or  lost 
by  the  pulp  being  bruised  and  exposed  to  the 
air.  The  raspberry,  the  next  fruit  in  question, 
bears  the  same  fate,  in  every  particular,  as  the  straw- 
berry. That  refreshing  fruit,  the  cherry,  is  often 
badly  treated,  although  in  many  cases  its  strig  is 
allowed  to  remain.  The  currant,  however,  is  worse 
managed  ;  the  general  method  being  to  grasp  whole 
handfuls  of  the  fruit  at  once,  some  of  which  is 
badly  bruised,  others  quite  broken,  and  some 
bunches  left  entire,  mashed  with  the  juice  of  others 
which  have  met  a  worse  fate. 

However  custom  might  have  sanctioned  the  above 
methods,  I  think  prudence  should  dictate  a  more 
proper  manner  of  picking  and  bringing  to  the  table 
those  choice  fruits  which  are  so  bountifully  bestowed 
on  mankind.  I  hope  the  following  methods  will 
receive  some  attention  from  my  readers,  even  if  they 
are  not  inclined  to  adopt  them. 

The  strawberry,  raspberry,  currant,  &c.,  I  would 
recommend  to  be  picked  with  their  strigs  entire, 
when  intended  for  the  dessert ;  the  strigs  to  be  nip- 
ped asunder,  between  the  thumb  and  fore  finger 


140       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

nails,  and  care  taken  not  to  squeeze  the  fruit  in  the 
operation  ;  when  picked,  put  it  in  small  boxes  or 
baskets,  with  leaves  at  the  bottom  to  keep  it  from 
bruising,  and  in  this  manner  let  it  be  kept  until  it  be 
removed  into  proper  dishes  designed  for  the  table. 

Plums,  apples,  pears,  indeed  all  kinds  of  fruit,  are 
greatly  injured  by  being  deprived  of  their  strigs  in 
picking.  They  are  not  only  deformed,  but  seldom 
keep  any  length  of  time.  Any  common  observer 
will  at  once  discover  that  the  strig  of  fruit  is  intend- 
ed by  nature  as  its  handle,  and  therefore  should  not 
be  extracted  from  it. 

In  closing  these  remarks,  I  beg  leave  to  caution 
those  unacquainted  with  the  management  of  fruit  of 
the  great  importance  of  handling  it,  when  gathered, 
in  a  careful  manner  ;  for  certain  it  is,  that  in  many 
cases  quantities  of  fruit,  intended  to  be  kept  for  a 
length  of  time,  are  rotted  and  decayed,  owing  to 
its  being  bruised  when  picked  and  put  away.  It  is 
almost  impossible  to  be  too  careful  in  the  manage- 
ment of  fruit  intended  to  be  stored  for  the  winter. 

In  picking  fruit  for  preserving  through  winter,  care 
should  be  taken  that  it  is  ripe  before  gathering, 
which  may  be  ascertained  by  examining  the  kernel 
or  seed,  which,  if  black  and  ripe,  the  pulp  or  fruit 
will  be  ripe  also.  Having  ascertained  that  the  fruit 
is  ripe,  the  next  thing  is  the  picking  or  gathering  of 
it  into  winter  quarters  ;  this  should  be  carefully  done, 
and,  let  me  here  remind  the  reader  that  the  handling 
or  taking  the  fruit  from  the  tree  is  an  operation 
which  requires  considerable  knowledge  ;  and,  let  no 
one  who  does  not  understand  the  nature  of  this 
thing  practically,  despise  the  following  hint  on  the 
subject.  In  picking  fruit  from  the  tree  it  should 


LIVE    HEDGES*  141 

always  be  the  rule  to  take  the  strig  with  it  entire,  if 
possible.  This  is  of  the  greatest  importance  where 
fruit  is  kept  through  the  winter,  because  if  taken  from 
it,  the  rind  is  broken  where  it  was  united  to  the  pulp, 
and  at  that  place  it  will  begin  to  decay,  when  closely 
confined,  and  hence  soon  communicate  the  rot  to 
others,  and  so  on  until  the  whole  is  infected. 


ART*  2. — -Planting  Live  Fences. 

When  land  is  to  be  divided  or  enclosed  for  fruit 
gardens  or  orchards,  it  may  be  effected  by  planting 
live  fences  of  different  varieties  of  woody  plants  ; 
but  those  of  a  dwarf  thorny  nature  are  found  to  an- 
swer the  best  purpose  in  most  cases,  being  more 
proper  to  guard  against  cattle  and  other  intruders, 
than  those  without  armature. 

The  plants  used' for  such  purpose,  are  those  vari- 
eties which  are  found  to  thrive  well  in  different  parts 
of  the  states,  and  if  natives  the  better,  being  more 
hardy  and  better  able  to  withstand  the  changes  natu- 
ral to  the  climate.  The  European  hawthorn  is 
perhaps  the  best  plant  for  this  purpose,  although  it 
does  not  answer  equally  well  in  all  parts  of  the 
country.  In  the  New  England  States,  particularly, 
this  plant  is  liable  to  be  destroyed  by  mildew  and 
the  borer ;  but  in  the  state  of  New  York,  it  does 
much  better.  The  buckthorn,  or  Rhamnus  ca- 
tharticus  of  Linnaeus,  is  now  much  planted  in  New 
England,  and  answers  the  purpose  admirably  well. 
To  this  may  be  added  the  Shepardia  eleagnoides  (of 
Nuttal),  or  Buffalo  tree,  which  I  am  inclined  to 
think,  when  it  has  had  a  more  general  trial,  will  su- 


142        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

persede  anything  that  has  hitherto  been  introduced 
for  the  purpose.  The  locust,  white  mulberry, 
sweetbriar,  beach,  and  many  varieties  which  have 
been  cultivated  for  other  uses,  may  be  added  to  the 
list  ;  but,  as  my  object  is  to  give  directions  regard- 
ing live  fences  to  enclose  orchards,  &c.,  I  shall  pro- 
ceed to  treat  on  that  subject. 

Sowing  the  seeds  of  plants  for  live  fences. — 
The  seeds  of  different  varieties  of  plants  for  live 
fences,  are  generally  sown  in  nursery  rows  eighteen 
inches  wide  and  two  feet  between  the  rows,  or  they 
are  sometimes  sown  in  four  feet  beds  with  eighteen 
inch  or  two  feet  alleys,  in  the  manner  explained  in 
the  nursery  department.  The  autumn  is  the  proper 
season  for  sowing,  or  so  soon  as  the  seed  is  ripe. 
Such  seeds  as  have  a  hard  covering,  as  the  locust, 
should  have  their  outer  covering  softened  by  boil- 
ing water  being  poured  over  it,  as  the  seed  will 
not  vegetate  unless  its  covering  is  so  softened  as1  to 
admit  air  and  moisture  to  it. 

Planting  the  fence. — When  the;  young  plants  are 
one  or  two  years  in  the  nursery  rows,  they  will  be 
fit  for  planting.  The  ground  intended  to  be  planted 
should  be  previously  prepared  for  it,  by  cleaning  it 
well,  and  working  in  a  quantity  of  good  rotten  ma- 
nure. The  planting  may  be  performed  by  stretching 
a  garden  line  where  the  location  of  the  fence  is  de- 
signed ;  the  plants  may  then  be  inserted  in  a  single 
row,  six  inches  apart,  by  the  spade  or  dibble  ;  but 
the  former  I  would  recommend.  The  work  is  done 
by  placing  the  spade  parallel  with  the  line,  and 
pressing  it  down  with  the  foot  and  hand  to  the  depth 
required  for  the  plant,  when  it  is  to  be  drawn  three 
or  four  inches  forward  to  admit  the  plant  to  be  put  in 


LIVE    HEDGES.  143 

I 

at  the  cavity  at  the  back  of  the  spade,  which  is  to  be 
taken  out,  and  the  earth  closed  to  the  plant  by  the 
right  foot.  Two  persons  are  required  to  perform 
the  work,  one  to  use  the  spade  and  one  to  insert  the 
plants. 

The  plants  will  require  to  be  kept  clean  during  the 
summer  with  the  hoe,  and  the  following  spring  a 
sprinkling  of  well  rotted  manure  may  be  spread  by 
the  sides  of  the  rows  and  neatly  dug  in  with  a  spade. 
The  next  year  the  management  is  the  same  as  re- 
gards keeping  clean,  &c.  The  third  season  the 
plants  may  be  headed  down  to  two  or  three  buds  or 
eyes,  and  the  ground  well  worked  and  kept  clean, 
indeed  young  live  fences  of  this  kind  should  always 
be  kept  in  the  best  of  order.  The  fourth  year  the 
plants  may  be  headed  down  to  within  six  inches  of 
the  root,  and  the  sides  cut  thin,  so  as  to  form  a 
hedge  of  a  narrow  roof-like  appearance,  or,  to  give 
a  more  definite  idea,  like  the  mane  of  a  horse. 

Training,  or  after-management.  —  When  the 
plants  are  of  a  proper  strength  they  are  to  be  pruned 
or  brushed  once  or  twice  a  year — in  the  fall  and 
spring,  after  the  young  shoots  have  made  about  six 
inches  of  wood.  The  hedge  should  be  kept  as  thin 
as  possible  on  the  top,  tapering  from  the  bottom, 
which  should  be  kept  thick  and  above  two  feet  and  a 
half  through.  It  should  be  increased  to  six  feet  in 
height  which  will  be  sufficient  in  most  cases,  but 
where  it  is  required  to  be  higher,  it  may  be  gradu- 
ally allowed  to  attain  a  greater  height.  Keeping  it 
clean  and  a  regular  management  the  first  few  years, 
is  the  principal  object  that  must  be  strictly  attended 
to. 


144  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

ART.  3.— On  Protecting  Fruit  Trees 

The  protecting  of  fruit  trees  taken  in  its  most  ex-* 
tensive  sense,  may  be  considered  as  a  very  impor- 
tant item  in  the  culture  of  fruit.  I  have,  under  the 
several  heads  in  preceding  articles,  pointed  out  the 
utility  and  methods  of  protection  in  a  brief  manner, 
when  it  has  appeared  to  be  essentially  necessary. 
I  shall  here  in  a  measure  recapitulate  those  hints,  and 
combine  under  one  head  every  thing  that  seems  of 
importance  as  regards  the  protection  of  fruit  trees. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  pretty  certain  that  unless 
fruit  trees  are  planted  where  they  can  be  sheltered 
from  the  cold  northern  blast,  little  good  may  be  ex- 
pected from  their  culture.  By  observation  it  will 
be  seen  as  before  stated,  that  where  apple  orchards 
are  situated  on  ground  partly  high  and  exposed,  and 
partly  low  and  sheltered,  trees  on  the  latter  will 
flourish  and  bear  abundant  crops  of  fruit,  whilst  the 
former  is  poor,  eaten  up  with  moss,  and  bears  thin 
crops  of  poor,  meagre  fruit.  Now,  as  these  trees 
were  all  planted  at  one  time,  and  received  the  same 
culture,  it  is  evident  the  difference  is  partly  owing  to 
their  being  in  the  more  or  the  less  exposed  situation  ; 
although  it  is  certain  that  difference  of  soil  has  some 
influence  on  their  growth.  The  same  may  be  stated 
of  most  kinds  of  fruit  trees  ;  although  the  cherry 
bears  and  thrives  on  a  poor,  sandy,  exposed  situation 
better  than  any  other. 

Where  fruit  orchards  or  gardens  are  planted  on  a 
flat  plain  land,  they  should  be  protected  by  planting 
a  row  of  forest  trees  to  break  off  the  winds  and 
storms  on  the  cold  quarter.  In  the  management  of 
this  business,  some  judgment  is  required,  or  the  evil 


PROTECTING   FRUIT    TREES.  145 

will  be  greater  than  the  benefit.  In  the  selection  of 
trees  for  this  purpose,  care  should  be  taken  that  they 
are  chosen  of  an  upright  and  rapid  growth- — thick 
and  bushy  in  branches  and  leaves  ;  they  should  also 
be  of  that  kind  that  do  not  extend  their  roots  to  too 
great  a  distance  under  the  ground  so  as  to  impover- 
ish the  orchard  or  garden  they  are  intended  to  proj 
tect.  The  elm  is  of  this  kind.  The  best  trees  for 
this  purpose  are  among  the  evergreens  ;  the  pine* 
the  balsam  fir,  and  the  arbor  vita?  ; — the  deciduous 
trees  ;  the  sugar  rnaple,  the  horse  chesnut,  and  the 
locust,  are  good  examples.  The  elm,  the  button- 
ball,  the  American  lime,  are  all  fast  growing  trees 
when  young  ;  but  they  soon  spread  their  roots  to  a 
distance  and  net  the  ground  over  to  some  distance 
about  them,  and  finally  impoverish  and  exhaust  the 
soil  to  a  very  great  degree.  To  this  general  kind  of 
protection,  that  of  a  partial  nature  is  to  be  consider- 
ed as  protecting  certain  kinds  of  trees  from  the  win- 
ter's severity.  The  foreign  raspberry  forms  a 
prominent  character  in  this  part  of  the  business,  for 
although  it  flourishes  and  bears  admirably  well  in  this 
climate,  its  wood  or  canes  do  not  sufficiently  ripen 
to  bear  the  cold  winters  here  ;  the  canes  have 
therefore  to  be  carefully  bent  down  at  the  approach 
of  winter,  and  covered  with  earth  or  other  substance 
in  order  to  screen  them  from  the  cold  and  sudden 
changes  in  winter.  The  foreign  grape,  as  the 
White  Sweetwater,  Black  Hamburgh,  and  other 
foreign  varieties  cultivated  out  of  doors,  are  sub- 
ject to  the  same  injuries,  and  require  like  care,  and 
indeed  in  many  cases  if  the  native  grape  were  laid 
down  and  partially  covered  in  the  winter,  it  would 
be  much  the  better  for  such  treatment.  In  some 
10 


146  FRUIT    GARDEN  COMPANION. 

places  I  have  seen  the  peach  tree  bent  down  on  one 
side  and  partly  protected  by  covering  earth  over 
some  of  the  branches,  but  it  is  a  system  I  cannot 
recommend  because  the  trouble  is  always  treble  the 
profit.  In  some  cases  trees  are  protected  by 
covering  their  branches  with  coarse  matting,  as  bass- 
mats  or  other  coarse  articles  of  that  texture  ;  in 
others,  clean  straw  is  neatly  placed  and  bound  round 
plants,  which  answers  a  very  good  purpose  for  dwarf 
trees.  The  neatest  manner  of  doing  this  is  first  to 
tie  in  the  branches  of  the  tree  or  plant  closely  and 
neatly  together,  and  place  the  straw  smoothly  around 
it,  which  should  be  bound  neat  and  tight,  with 
strong  yarn  strings,  or  wisps  made  of  basket  willow 
or  other  pliable  wood. 

To  the  foregoing  remarks  it  may  be  added,  that 
almost  every  kind  of  young  trees  require  to  be 
slightly  protected  in  a  nursery  state.  This  may  be 
effected  by  covering,  with  leaves,  soil  or  horse  ma- 
nure on  the  rows  or  beds;  but  care  must  be  taken, 
not  to  cover  too  heavily  so  as  to  press  down  the 
plants  and  break  their  stems. 

To  these  different  methods  of  protection,  that  of 
protecting  trees  and  vines  in  blosssom  may  be  add- 
ed. This  partial  covering  is  necessary  to  guard  off 
frost  and  cold  cutting  winds,  and  may  be  effected 
either  by  covering  at  night  with  mats  when  against 
walls  or  trellis,  or  using  old  netting,  gause  or  other 
thin  substance  that  may  remain  always  before  the 
plants  or  trees  to  break  off  frost,  wind,  and  other 
detrimental  causes. 


THE    fOMATO.  147 

*  • 

ART-  4. — Culture  of  the  Tomato. 

The  Tomato  being  at  the  present  time  so  much 
esteemed  as  an  excellent  fruit,  and  its  use  in  cook- 
eiy  in  various  ways,  as  sauces,  catsups,  &c., 
and  as  a  pickle  when  green,  induces  me  to  give 
some  hints  on  its  culture. 

The  plant  is  an  annual,  and  a  native  of  a  warm 
tropical  climate,  requiring  about  the  same  heat  to 
grow  to  perfection  as  the  cucumber. 

The  best  mode  of  culture,  to  have  the  plants  ear- 
ly, is  to  sow  the  seed  in  pots  in  a  cucumber  frame, 
about  the  middle  of  February  or  first  of  March. 
When  the  plants  have  two  or  three  rough  leaves, 
they  may  be  potted  into  small  pots  into  a  light  rich 
soil,  and  treated  as  cucumber  plants  ;  after^they  are 
well  rooted  in  these  small  pots,  they  may  then  be 
shifted  into  smaller  sized,  to  obtain  a  strong  growth 
before  being  planted  out  into  a  fruiting  bed.  As 
the  weather  grows  warm,  the  beginning  or  the  latter 
end  of  April,  the  plants  should  be  placed  into  a 
separate  frame  to  harden  off,  and  plenty  of  air  given 
as  the  warm  weather  advances  ;  and  finally  the  sash- 
es may  be  wholly  taken  off  previous  to  their  being 
planted  into  an  open  exposure  for  fruiting,  which  is 
about  the  twentieth,  or  latter  end  of  May. 

The  situation  and  soil  to  grow  the  tomato  early,  is 
a  side  bank  facing  to  the  south  of  a  poor  gravelly 
or  sandy  nature.  Prepare  the  ground  for  planting 
in  the  usual  way  by  digging  or  ploughing.  This 
done,  make  holes  five  feet  apart  in  rows  from  each 
other,  by  taking  out  two  shovels  full  of  earth, 
and  placing  thereon  the  same  quantity  of  good 
rotten  manure  ;  then  carefully  turn  out  the  plants 


148       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

with  the  ball  earth  entire  into  the  centre  of  the  ma- 
nure, closing  it  well  round  the  roots*;  this  done, 
place  a  wisp  of  straw,  hay  or  long  grass,  around  the 
stem,  to  protect  the  plant  from  wind,  frost  or  other 
accidental  causes  that  may  injure  it ;  ory  some 
short  litter  or  horse-dung  may  be  thrown  around  the 
sterns  to  protect  the  plants. 

The  plants  being  thus  planted,  the  ground  be- 
tween the  rows  requires  to  be  kept  clear  and  well 
worked,  similar  to  Indian  corn  or  the  potato. 

It  is  a  great  error  of  many  persons,  to  force  the 
tomato  in  a  deep  rich  soil,  in  order  to  ripen  the  fruit 
early*  This  is  altogether  incorrect,  as  the  luxu- 
riant state  of  the  plants  puts  it  into  a  state  quite 
the  reverse  to  that  of  fruiting ;  for,  when  this 
is  the  case,  the  thick  leafy  state  of  the  vines  shades 
and  prevents  the  fruit  from  ripening,  besides  collect- 
ing moisture  in  a  manner  that  the  fruit  and  leaves 
cannot  dry  freely,  and  eventually  rot  and  decay. 

Many  persons  grow  the  tomato  against  boarded 
fences,  trellisses,  &c,3  on  a  south  aspect,  where  they 
are  trained  in  the  manner  of  fruit  trees,  by  thinning 
out  the  shoots  and  tieing  or  nailing  them  to  the  fence 
or  trellis.  In  this  management  care  must  be  taken 
that  the  soil  is  not  too  rich  that  the  tomato  is  plant- 
ed into,  nor  that  the  vines  are  allowed  to  run  too 
thickly  together,  either  will  prevent  the  fruit  from 
ripening. 


THE    PIE    PLANT.  149 


ART,  5. — On  the  Culture, of  the  Pie  Plant. 

The  pie  plant  or  Rheum  rhaponticum  is  one  of  the 
test  substitutes  we  have  at  an  early  season  for  green 
tarts  ;  its  flavor  when  cooked  is  a  pleasant  acid, 
and  partakes  of  that  of  the  green  apple  and  goose- 
berry. The  manner  of  cooking  it  is  simple  and 
most  generally  done  by  taking  the  green  stalks  and 
cutting  them  into  srnall  square  pieces,  putting  it  into 
crust  and  baking  as  an  apple  tart  ;  or  it  will  make 
an  excellent  pudding  by  using  it  in  the  same  way  as 
the  apple.  Many  persons  also  use  the  pie  plant  as  a 
sauce,  and  stew  the  stalks  after  being  cut  into  small 
pieces  precisely  the  same  as  the  apple. 

Culture. — The  pie  plant  is  increased  by  seed  and 
cuttings  ;  the  latter  is  the  best  and  most  successful 
way.  The  seed  may  be  sown  early  in  the  spring 
on  a  rich,  deep  piece  of  ground  in  drills  three  feet 
apart :  it  is  essentially  necessary  that  the  ground  be 
made  ,rich  in  order  to  grow  the  plants  in  a  strong, 
healthy  state  the  first  y.aar  for  planting.  The  cut- 
tings are  increased  by  dividing  the  crown  of  an  old 
plant  into  small  pieces,  each  having  a  bud  or  an  eye 
to  it.  These  cuttings  are  to  be  planted  in  rows 
two  feet  apart  the  same  as  the  seed. 

Planting  out  the  bed  for  fruiting — The  rhubarb 
requires  a  rich,  deep  soil  in  order  to  grow  the  young 
stalks  crisp  and  luxuriant.  Therefore  prepare  the 
bed  by  manuring  the  ground  well  with  a  good  coat 
of  manure,  and  dig  it  in  a  good  depth.  This  done, 
level  the  surface,  and  mark  out  the  ground  in  rows 
four  feet  apart ;  in  the  angle  of  each  take  out  two 
or  three  shovels  full  of  soil,  and  place  therein 


I 

150  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

two  or  three  shovels  full  of  good  rotten  manure,  and 
place  the  plant  therein,  healing  it  over  with  soil. 
The  after  management  is  to  keep  the  ground  well 
manured  and  dig  it  every  fall,  and  give  it  the  very 
best  of  culture. 

Rhubarb  is  often  forced  or  forwarded  in  the 
spring  by  placing  over  the  crown  of  the  stools  an 
empty  barrel,  and  covering  well  around  the  outside 
with  horse  manure,  old  tan,  or  other  substance  to 
start  it  into  growth  early.  Many  other  methods 
may  be  successfully  applied,  as  forcing  in  large  pots 
or  tubs,  in  the  vinery  or  any  other  glass-houses 
where  the  temperature  is  kept  a  few  degrees  above 
freezing.  Where  it  is  required  early,  (and  nothing 
will  pay  better,)  it  may  be  forced  in  a  garden  frame. 
To  accomplish  this,  procure  at  the  beginning  of 
March  a  quantity  of  hot  horse  manure,  and  if  a 
portion  of  oak  leaves  preserved  in  the  fall  is  mixed 
with  it  the  better,  prepare  the  bed  by  mixing  and 
getting  the  manure  in  a  state  of  fermentation  ;  then 
make  up  the  bed,  place  the  frame  over  it,  and  put 
into  six  inches  of  light  earth  or  old  tan  ;  place  the 
roots  over  it,  and  close  the  frame  to  draw  the  heat, 
$nd  manage  it  in  the  usual  manner  by  giving  air  by 
day,  covering  by  night,  &c. 


DESCRIPTIVE    LISTS.  151 


CHAPTER  II. 

DESCRIPTIVE    LISTS     OF     SELECT    FRUITS. 

i' 

t 

IN  forming  a  descriptive  list  of  fruit,  the  prin- 
cipal object  has  been  to  choose  those  kinds  that  bear 
good  crops,  generally  useful,  and  good  in  quality. 
In  doing  this  many  very  excellent  kinds  have  been 
omitted,  owing  to  their  being  either  tender  trees  or 
uncertain  bearers. 

In  my  description  I  have  in  a-measure  been  guided 
by  the  local  places  where  the  kinds  recommended 
have  borne  well,  which  in  many  cases  have  been 
pointed  out.  And,  as  none  have  been  recommended 
except  those  which  are  of  the  best  quality,  little  has 
been  said  of  their  peculiar  merits,  nor  indeed  would 
it  be  proper  to  devote  much  room,  in  a  small 
manual  of  this  kind,  to  the  science  of  Pomology, 
which  has  been  done  by  more  able  hands.  In 
forming  my  lists,  I  have  been  principally  guided  in 
the  descriptive  qualities  of  fruits,  by  Mr  Manning's 
Book  of  Fruits,  and  Mr  Kenrick's  Orchardist,  which 
I  recommend  to  the  young  fruit  grower  as  works  of 
the  first  order  for  reference  to  the  different  kinds 
of  fruits,  and  their  qualities. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  STRAWBERRIES. 

The  principal  object  of  a  descriptive  list  of  the 
strawberry  in  this  place,  is  to  point  out  the  best 
bearing  kinds,  and  those  that  will  give  a  succession 


152       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

of  fruit  during  the  season.     The  descriptions  which 
here  follow  are  from  Kenrick. 

1.    Scarlt. 

"  A  very  early  variety,  of  an  excellent  flavor  ; 
middle  sized  fruit  of  a  scarlet  color,  and  should  al- 
ways be  planted  as  an  early  fruit." 

2.   Roseberry. 

"  An  abundant  bearer  ;  the  fruit  is  large,  conical, 
pointed,  dark  red,  hairy,  with  a  very  short  neck. 
The  early  fruit  is  sometimes  cockscomb  shaped  ; 
seeds  yellow,  deeply  imbedded,  with  ridged  inter- 
vals ;  flesh  firm,  pale  scarlet,  with  a  core  ;  flavor  not 
rich,  but  agreeable,  and  much  admired  by  many." 

3.   Black  Roseberry. 

-"  The  fruit  is  of  good  size,  obtusely  conical,  deep 
purplish  red,  and  shining  ;  the  seeds  are  slightly  im- 
bedded ;  flesh  dark  red  near  the  outside,  solid,  but- 
tery, juicy,  and  of  excellent  flavor." 

4.    Grove  End  Scarlet. 

"  A  first  rate  strawberry  and  an  abundant  bearer. 
The  fruit  is  of  considerable  size,  depressed,  spheri- 
cal, of  a  bright  vermilion  color  ;  seeds  slightly  im- 
bedded with  flat  intervals  ;  flesh  pale  scarlet,  firm, 
with  a  core  ;  flavor  agreeable  and  slightly  acid. " 

5.  Methven  Scarlet. 

"  Fruit  very  large,  cordate,  compressed,  or 
cockscomb  formed  at  times,  or  conical ;  dark  scar- 
let. Seeds  pale  yellow,  not 'deep  set.  Flesh  scarlet, 


DESCRIPTIVE    LISTS.  153 

very  woolly,    sometimes  hollow  ;    highly  esteemed 
with  us." 

6.  Keen's  Seedling. 

"  The  fruit  is  very  large,  globular,  or  ovate,  of  a 
dark  purplish  scarlet,  hairy.  It  sometimes  assumes 
the  cockscomb  shape.  The  surface  polished,  seeds 
slightly  imbedded  ;  flesh  firm,  solid,  scarlet,  high 
flavored.  Introduced  to  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  by 
Mr  Pratt.  Also  to  this  country  and  to  notice,  by 
Mr  Haggerston,  of  the  Charlestown  vineyard..  In 
this  strawberry  are  combined  great  beauty,  extraor- 
dinary size,  excellent  flavor,  and  productiveness. 
The  fruit  grows  high,  which  is  much  in  its  favor. 
Raised  by  Mr  Michael  Keen,  from  the  seed  of 
Keen's  Imperial,  which  is  a  good  fruit  but  very  infe- 
rior to  this." 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  THE  RASPBERRY. 

The  raspberry,  like  the  currant,  requires  but  few 
varieties  to  have  every  satisfaction  in  the  fruit.  The 
Red  and  White  Antwerp  are  the  two  best  kinds,  and 
have  been  known  and  introduced  more  than  a  centu- 
ry. To  these  may  be  added,  the  Franconia,  Ma- 
son's Grape,  and  other  superior  seedlings,  that  have 
been  introduced  within  these  few  years,  and  the 
double  bearing  for  a  late  crop. 

1.    White  Jlntwerp. 

The  canes  of  this  variety  are  strong  and  vigorous  ; 
color  of  the  wood,  a  yellow  brown  ;  leaves  large  and 
of  a  light  green  ;  fruit  large,  of  an  oval  form,  or 


154  FRUIT    GARDEN-  COMPANION* 

much  like  a  thimble,  color  dull  yellow,  or  an  amber. 
An  excellent  bearer. 

The  fruit  of  this  kind  is  the  best  variety  known 
for  the  dessert,  but  it  will  not  preserve  well  in  any 
way  I  am  acquainted  with  ;  it  is,  therefore,  altogether 
adapted  to  the  dessert. 

2.     The  Red  Antwerp. 

The  red  Antwerp,  like  the  white,  bears  its  name 
from  its  place  of  parentage.  The  fruit  is  of  an  ex- 
cellent quality,  and  particularly  adapted  for  preserv- 
ing into  jams,  jellies,  and  in  some  cases  the  fruit 
is  mashed  and  made  into  a  pleasant  wine,  or  shrub  ; 
it  is  also  used  in  domestic  cookery,  with  the  currant 
or  cherry,  when  ripe,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
tarts,  and  is  an  excellent  fruit  for  puddings,  &c.* 
The  Red  Antwerp  cannot  be  said  to  be  quite 
equal  to  the  White  Antwerp  for  the  dessert,  al- 
though it  is  often  used  for  that  purpose,  and  makes 
one  of  the  prettiest  dishes  of  fruit  of  its  season. 

The  canes  or  wood  of  this  variety  is  strong  and 
luxuriant,  of  a  mixture  of  red  or  brown,  with  pur- 
ple spines  ;  the  leaves  a  dark  green,  a  little  mottled 
or  tinged  with  purple  when  at  maturity  ;  the  fruit  is 
nearly  the  same  shape  as  the  White  Antwerp, 
although  not  so  large  ;  color,  a  deep  red  ;  flavor,  a 
pleasant  sub-acid  and  very  delicious.  An  excellent 
bearer. 

3.   Mason* s  Seedling  Grape. 
This  superior  variety  originated  with  Mr  T.    Ma- 
son, of  Charlestown  Vineyard.     It  was  hybridized 

*I  have  the  testimony  from  a  lady  who  has  made  use  of  the  leaves 
of  the  Raspberry,  that  it  makes  a  pleasant  beverage,  and  is  a  good 
substitute  for  G.  Tea.— E,  S. 


DESCRIPTIVE    LISTS.  155 

by  him  with  the  Scarlet  Rockingham  and  Red  Ant- 
werp. The  fruit  and  plant  resemble  much  the 
.Red  Antwerp,  but  is  said  to  be  a  better  bearer  ;  and 
has  racemes  or  bunches  of  fruit  like  grapes,  whence 
its  name,  Grape  Raspberry.  The  testimony  of  the 
fine  specimens  of  this  fruit,  shown  at  different  times 
at  the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  Rooms,  is  a  suf- 
ficient guarantee  to  recommend  this  variety  as  one 
of  the  best  among  the  Raspberry. 

4.    Franc onia. 

One  of  the  best  red  raspberries  in  cultivation,  and 
like  the  Red  Antwerp,  embraces  the  good  qualities 
of  a  dessert  fruit,  and  preserves  admirably,  fit  is 
enough  to  say  that  it  was  at  first  introduced,  and 
generally  grown  by  Samuel  G.  Perkins,  Esq., 
Brookline,  near  Boston,  who  possesses  one  of  the 
most  choice  collections  of  fruit  in  the  Union. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  CURRANTS. 

Of  all  the  useful  fruits  cultivated,  the  currant  bears 
the  least  consideration  in  the  choice  of  the  different 
varieties  ;  this  I  cannot  account  for,  in  any  cither 
way  than  the  easy  and  simple  manner  in  which  the 
currant  can  be  increased  and  grown,  has  induced 
those  desirous  to  cultivate  it,  to  select  from  their 
neighbors  without  any  regard  to  the  different 
kinds  and  qualities,  which  are  so  totally  different  as 
to  allow  more  than  half  difference  in  produce,  be- 
sides much  in  quality. 

Of  all  the  different  varieties  of  currants,  there  is 
but  one  kind  of  the  different  colors  of  red,  white, 


156  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

and  black,  that  I  can  recommend,  which  are  the  red 
Dutch,  the  white  Dutch,  and  the  common  black 
currant  ;  it  is  rather  singular  that  the  superior  quali- 
ties of  the  red  and  white  Dutch,  which  have  been 
known  in  horticulture  over  one  hundred  years,  should 
not  have  been  more  generally  introduced  among  the 
growers  of  fruit,  as  the  genuine  varieties  are  seldom 
to  be  met  with.  This  must  be  altogether  owing  to 
the  neglect  of  close  attention, to  selection ;  and  in  a 
fruit  of  such  useful  and  domestic  nature  as  the  cur- 
rant, it  is  greatly  to  be  hoped  that  the  good  kinds 
will  be  selected,  which  are  the  red  and  white  Dutch, 
which,  if  once  generally  introduced,  will  at  no  dis- 
tant day  have  precedence  over  all  others.  Let  the 
planter  apply  to  any  respectable  nurseryman  .or  fruit 
grower,  for  the  red  and  white  Dutch  currant,  partic- 
ularly, and  he  will  at  once  have  the  very  .kinds  he 
most  desires,  and  the  very  best  of  currants. 

The  White  Dutch  Currant. 

The  tree  is  of  a  weeping  habit,  wood  short  joint- 
ed, and  the  leaves  of  a  light  green,  and  hairy  sur- 
face ;  the  fruit  of  an  arnber  color  or  dull  yellow, 
large  round  fruit,  and  long  bunches  ;  the  bunches 
grow  in  thick  clusters  from  the  joints  ;  the  flavor  of 
a  pleasant  acid,  agreeable  to  the  taste, 

This  variety  is  generally  used  as  a  dessert,  for 
which  it  is  particularly  adapted — it  is  also  used  for  a 
wine,  but  does  not  preserve  well. 

The  Red  Dutch  Currant. 

The  tree  is  of  a  more  upright  habit  than  the  lat- 
ter, and  may  be  distinguished  from  the  common  red 
by  its  branches  being  more  extended  into  a  hori- 


DESCRIPTIVE  Lists.  157 

sfontal  manner.  The  wood  is  thick  jointed,  the 
leaves  of  a  dark  green,  fruit  very  dark  red,  ap- 
proaching a  purple  when  fully  ripe,  bunches  long 
and  growing  in  clusters  on  the  old  wood,  berries 
round  and  large. 

This  variety  is  not  so  pleasant  to  be  eaten  from 
the  hand  as  the  white  Dutch,  but  is  more  used  in 
domestic  cookery.  It  also  makes  excellent  jams, 
jellies,  £rjd  preserves  of  any  kind,  and  is  used  by 
many  for  a  domestic  wine. 

The  Red  Champaign. 

The  red  champaign  currant  is  not  in  general  cul- 
tivation, although  I  consider  it  next  in  quality  to  the 
red  Dutch.  The  plant  is  of  an  erect  habit,  luxu- 
riant growth,  and  good  bearer  ;  the  bunches  are  long 
but  do  not  hang  so  much  in  clusters  as  the  former 
varieties  ;  the  fruit  is  round,  of  a  large  size  ;  color 
light  red,  and  very  transparent. 

The  Black  Currant. 

This  variety  is  so  well  known  that  I  need  not  des- 
cribe it  ;  the  black  currant  should  always  find  its 
way  into  every  garden,  for  its  useful  qualities  in 
colds,  sore  throat,  &c.,  for  which  it  is  used  with 
admirable  success  when  made  into  jams  and  jellies  ; 
and  black  eurrant  wine  has  been  too  long  known  in 
sickness,  for  me  to  record  its  usefulness  in  this  place. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  GOOSEBERRIES. 

It  is  very  difficult  to   give  a  descriptive  list  of  the 
best   kinds  of  the  gooseberry  that  will  answer  for 


158        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION* 

this  climate,  particularly  as  its  culture  so  injuriously 
affected  by  the  mildew,  which  sometimes  entirely 
destroys  the  crop.  The  following  kinds  are  those 
which  are  of  hardy  quality^  and  I  hope  will  be 
found  to  answer  a  good  purpose  in  this  country. 

1.  Roaring  Lion. 

One  of  the  best  red  gooseberries,  of  a  very  large 
size  ;  hairy  and  of  a  dark  red  color  ;  tree  of  an 
erect  habit,  and  fine  grower  and  bearer. 

2.  Wilmot's  Red. 

According  to  Kenrick,  one  of  the  best  of  the 
reds — who  states  that  it  is  large  size,  very  early,  of 
an  excellent  flavor,  and  incredibly  productive. 

3.  Early  Green  Hairy.  (The  Early  Green  Hairy 
Gooseberry,  Green  Gascoigne  of  Forsyth  and 
Scotch  Gardens.) 

Pomological  Magazine,  No.  22. 

This  fruit  I  have  known  for  twenty  years  in  En- 
gland, and  am  well  satisfied  of  its  superior  qualities 
as  an  early  table  fruit,  to  be  of  the  first  order,  and 
an  abundant  bearer. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  it  has  been  displaced  in 
many  collections,  with  the  iron-monger  and  other 
small  varieties  of  merit,  by  the  larger  kinds  inferior 
in  every  degree.  I  know  not  of  any  gooseberry 
more  deserving  a  trial  of  culture,  than  the  present ; 
which,  if  it  could  evade  the  mildew,  so  detrimental 
to  the  gooseberry,  it  would  be  a  great  acquisition  to 
the  dessert.  I  give  its  character  in  full  from  the 
Pomological  Magazine. 

*c  The  branches  grow  very  erect ;  the  leaves  are 


DESCRIPTIVE    LISTS.  159 

dark  green,  and  slightly  pubescent  above.  The 
berry  is  small,  round,  and  ripens  early  ;  the  skin  is 
hairy,  deep  green,  and  thin  ;  flavor  rich  and  very 
sweet ;  a  good  bearer." 

4.  Iron  Monger  or  Old  Red  Rough. 
An  old  small  red  variety  of  gooseberry,  now  but 
little  known  ;  but  it  deserves  to  be  cultivated  as  the 
best  variety  for  preserving  ever  grown. 

5.    Whitesmith. 

A  fine  large  white  gooseberry,  and  one  of  the  best 
bearers  in  this  country  ;  fruit  large,  oval,  of  a  supe- 
rior flavor  and  the  best  of  the  whites. 

6.  Early  Green  Hairy. 

A  small  early  fruit,  of  very  sweet  flavor  and  gen- 
erally a  good  bearer. 

7.   Crown  Bob. 

A  fine  red  fruited  variety,  of  a  drooping  habit, 
and  one  of  the  best  bearers  of  the  English  cultiva- 
tors. It  will  probably  do  well  here. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  PLUMS. 

1 .  Italian  Damask. 

This  is  one  of  the  prettiest  early  plums.  It  has 
a  dark  blue  skin — nearly  black  ;  flesh  yellow  ;  juicy 
and  high  flavored.  Ripe  in  August. 

Like  most  of  the  early  plums  it  cannot  be  recom- 
mended as  a  good  bearer,  but  it  deserves  a  place  in 
every  collection. 


160  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION, 

2.  Purple  Gage. 

Fruit  of  a  medium  size,  nearly  round,  a  little 
flattened  at  the  ends  ;  skin  of  a  violet  color,  with 
light  blue  bloom  ;  the  flesh  greenish,  rich  and  high 
flavored.  A  first  rate  freestone  plum,  a  great  bear- 
er. Ripe  in  August.  (Manning.) 

3.  Green  Gage. 

The  green  gage  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  best 
plums  grown  in  this  or  any  other  country.  The 
The  tree  is  of  a  hardy  habit,  and  flourishes  well  in 
any  place  where  the  plum  grows  to  perfection.  It 
is  the  least  local  fruit  I  am  acquainted  with.  The 
fruit  when  green  is  used  as  a  tart,  for  which  it  an- 
swers admirably  ;  when  ripe  it  is  used  as  a  dessert, 
and  is  equal  to  any  fruit  of  its  season. 

The  fruit  is  of  a  medium  size,  with  a  green  skin, 
approaching  to  a  yellow  when  perfectly  ripe,  a  little 
dotted  with  red  ;  flesh  firm  and  of  exquisite  flavor. 
It  should  be  eaten  before  it  is  too  ripe,  for  then  it 
in  a  measure  loses  that  fine  richness  peculiar  to  it. 

4.  Bleecker's  Gage. 

A  variety  which  originated  with  the  Rev.  Mr 
Bleecker,  Albany,  N.  Y.,  where  it  grows  to  great 
perfection,  and  is  esteemed  one  of  their  best  plums. 
This  is  evidently  a  natural  fruit,  as  it  is  often  propa- 
gated from  the  sucker,  particularly  in  the  vicinity  of 
Albany. 

This  plum  is  of  an  oval  form,  with  a  skin  when 
ripe  similar  to  the  green  gage,  "  a  dark  yellow,  with 
dark  red  spots  or  blotches  ;  the  flesh  rich  and  ex- 
cellent." A  healthy,  vigorous  growing  tree,  and 
generally  a  good  bearer. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LISTS.  161 

5.  Duantfs  Purple. 

A  very  large  purple  plum,  with  a  dark  purple  skin> 
of  a  rich  sweet  flavor  ;  does  admirably  well  with  Mr 
Pond  of  Cambridgeport,  near  Boston. 

This  plum  is  highly  deserving  a  place  in  every 
collection. 

6.  Bolmar's  Washington. 

A  very  superior  plum  in  size  and  flavor  ;  of  an 
oval  form,  with  a  yellow  skin,  speckled  a  little  with 
red.  The  tree  is  of  an  upright  luxuriant  habit,  with 
fine  dark  foliage,  and  a  uniform  moderate  bearer  in 
all  parts  of  the  Northern  and  Middle  States. 

"The  origin  (says  the  Pomological  Magazine) 
of  this  variety  is  remarkable.  The  parent  tree  was 
purchased  in  the  market  of  New  York,  some  time 
in  the  end  of  the  last  century.  It  remained  barren 
for  several  years,  till,  during  a  violent  thunder  storm 
the  whole  trunk  was  struck  to  the  ground  and  de- 
stroyed. The  roots  afterwards  threw  up  a  number 
of  vigorous  shoots,  all  of  which  were  allowed  to  re- 
main and  finally  produced  fruit.  In  1821  several 
trees  were  presented  to  the  Horticultural  Society, 
London,  by  Dr  Hosack." 

7.   Blue  Imperatrice. 

A  late  French  plum  of  medium  size,  remarkable 
for  its  hanging  long  on  the  tree,  for  which  it  is  in 
Great  Britain  cultivated  on  western  walls  for  a  late 
crop.  When  fully  ripe,  and  a  little  dried  in  the 
flesh,  its  flavor  is  very  fine.  The  skin  is  a  dark 
purple,  approaching  to  a  blue  black,  with  a  bluish 
bloom.  It  should  be  cultivated  in  every  collection 
as  the  best  late  plum  and  a  good  bearer. 
11 


frRUlT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

8.  Damson. 

It  is  needless  for  me  to  describe  this  well  known 
plum  ;  my  only  object  in  giving  it  a  place  here  is  to 
particularly  recommend  it  to  the  young,  planter  as 
the  best  preserving  plum,  and  as  deserving  a  place 
in  every  collection. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  CHERRIES, 

In  giving  a  descriptive  list  of  cherries,  I  have 
confined  it  to  a  very  few  varieties,  as  the  early,  mid- 
dle, and  late  seasons  are  all  that  seem  necessary,  for 
the  cherry,  although  one  of  the  most  pleasant  fruits 
of  its  season  as  a  dessert,  has  but  little  claim  as  a 
fruit  for  long  keeping  or  domestic  purposes,  except 
as  a  preserve. 

1.    Early  May  Duke. 

The  May  Duke  is  one  of  the  earliest  and  best 
cherries,  and  of  long  repute.  The  tree  is  of  an  up- 
right, close,  compact  growth ;  leaves  of  a  dark 
green  ;  generally  a  good  bearer.  The  fruit,  when 
ripe,  is  of  a  dark  red  ;  strigs  long  ;  of  an  excellent 
flavor ;  requires  a  warm  location  to  bear  an  early 
crop. 

2.  Harrison  Heart. 

A  fine  early  variety  of  heart-shaped  fruit  of  an 
amber  color,  of  a  light  red  near  the  sun  ;  a  very 
thriving  tree,  and  an  excellent  bearer, 

3.   Black  Tartarian. 
One  of  the  best  and  most  esteemed  varieties  of 


DESCRIPTIVE    LISTS*  163 

the  heart  kind  ;  a  good  bearer,  and  a  handsome 
thrifty  growing  tree.  It  is  rather  tender,  and  is 
sometimes  winter  killed  in  exposed  situations* 

"  Fruit  six  lines  in  length,  a  heart  shape  ;  at  ma- 
turity black  and  shining  ;  the  flesh  black  violet  and 
marbled,  fine  and  breaking. "—Kenrick. 

4.  Black  Heart. 

A  superior  variety  of  the  heart,  and  an  excel- 
lent bearer.  It  is  too  well  known  to  require  any 
further  notice,  than  to  recommend  it  to  a  place  in 
every  collection  of  fruit. 

5.  Jlrchduke. 

"A  large,  globular  formed,  red  cherry  ;  like  the 
May  Duke  it  grows  in  clusters ;  but  the  tree  grows 
more  vigorous  than  that  variety.  An  excellent 
cherry  ;  and  a  great  bearer,  ripening  in  July." — 
Kenrick. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  PEACHES. 

In  the  description  of  the  following  list  of  peaches, 
I  am  indebted  to  Mr  Kenrick's  "  Orchardist,"  and 
I  hope  the  selection  will  answer  every  purpose  of 
the  fruit  grower. 

1.  Early  Anne. 

"The  trees  of  this  variety  are  of  feeble  growth  > 
the  young  wood  is  subject  to  mildew.  Fruit  small? 
white,  globular  ;  the  flesh  white,  melting,  saccharine? 
and  good.  The  chief  merit  is  its  ripening  early." 


164  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

2.  Early  Purple. 

"  One  of  the  most  beautiful  of  peaches  ;  enconr 
passed  by  a  middling  suture  ;  of  a  globular  form 
flattened  at  the  base  ;  its  height  twentysix  lines. 
Flowers  large,  and  brighter  than  those  of  the  Grosse 
Mignonne  ;  the  fruit  large  and  of  a  deeper  red  ;  the 
flesh  equally  melting  and  fine,  vinous  and  high  fla- 
vored. August." 

3.  Early  Royal  George. 

"  A  very  large,  handsome,  and  superior  fruit,  of  a 
globular  form  ;  of  a  yellow  color  in  the  shade,  but 
of  a  fine  deep  red  next  the  sun  ;  the  flesh  melting, 
juicy,  saccharine,  vinous,  and  most  excellent.  It 
ripens  in  August,  and  is  one  of  the  very  best  of  all, 
peaches,  and  a  most  productive  kind." 

4.  Early  Red  Rareripe  of  Rhodes. 
"  The  fruit  is  large,  of  a  deep  red  color,  which 
covers  most  of  its  surface  ;  of  a  globular  form  ;  the 
flesh  stained  to  the  stone  with  red  ;  melting,  juicy, 
rich,  slightly  acid,  vinous,  and  excellent.  An  ex- 
cellent fruit,  and  deserves  to  be  recommended." 

5.  Red  Rareripe. 

"  The  leaf  of  this  tree  is  smooth  and  without  ser- 
ratures  ;  the  fruit  is  large,  its  suture  deep,  covered 
with  minute  specs  or  dots  of  red  in  the  shade,  but  of 
a  red  color  next  the  sun.  This  peach  is  decidedly 
one  of  the  very  best  of  all  peaches.  It  ripens  soon 
after  the  nutmeg  peach,  and  the  tree  is  not  liable  to 
overbear.  Early  in  August." 


DESCRIPVIVE    LISTS.  165 

6.    George  the  Fourth. 

The  fruit  is  of  medium  size,  downy  ;  of  a  globu- 
lar form,  swollen  on  one  side  ;  pale  yellow  in  the 
shade,  dark  red  next  the  sun  ;  the  flesh  pale  yellow, 
but  red  next  the  stone  ;  of  a  rich  and  excellent  fla- 
vor. This  fine  fruit  originated,  according  to  Mr 
Floy,  in  the  garden  of  Mr  Gill,  Broad-street,  New 
York." 

7.   Noblesse. 

"  The  tree  is  of  vigorous  growth,  and  very  pro- 
ductive. The  fruit  is  generally  large  and  round,  but 
sometimes  oblong,  with  a  very  small  nipple  ;  mar- 
bled with  red  and  dull  purple  next  the  sun  ;  the 
flesh  is  white,  tinged  with  yellow  ;  white  at  the  stone  ; 
very  sweet  and  melting,  but  perhaps  less  vinous  than 
some  others  ;  it  ripens  well  and  early.  The  stone 
is  short,  round,  and  very  prominent,  rough." 

8.  Early  Neivington. 

u  A  beautiful  fruit,  of  medium  size,  and  globular 
form  ;  of  a  white  color  in  the  shade,  but  red  next 
the  sun.  The  flesh  juicy,  rich,  and  high  flavored. 
The  stone  is  small.  Last  of  July." 

9.    Old  Newington. 

a  This  fruit  is  large  and  globular;  pale  yellow  in 
the  shade,  but  of  a  fine  bright  red  next  the  sun, 
sometimes  marbled  with  deeper  red  ;  the  flesh  is 
yellowish  white,  very  juicy,  rich,  sweet,  and  well 
flavored.  An  excellent  fruit,  ripening  in  Septem- 
ber, and  productive." 


166  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  APPLES. 

1.  Early  Harvest. 

The  best  early  apple  of  its  season,  and  highly- 
deserving  a  more  general  cultivation.  It  is  ripe  the 
latter  end  of  July  or  the  beginning  of  August  ;  of  a 
medium  size  ;  flat  form  ;  color  bright  yellow,  or 
straw  color;  flavor  sprightly  and  pleasant  acid  ;  rip- 
ening irregular,  the  earliest  dropping  from  the  tree 
as  they  change  their  color. 

The  tree  is  of  a  pendulous  habit,  healthy,  grows 
to  a  moderate  size,  and  bears  freely.  It  forms  a 
principal  item  in  the  collections  of  apples  in  its  vi- 
cinity. 

2.  Early  Bough. 

The  best  early  sweeting  I  am  acquainted  with, 
and  seems  to  flourish  tolerably  well  in  most  parts  of 
the  middle  states.  The  fruit  is  large  and  of  an  oval 
shape,  pale  yellow  a  little  tinged  with  red  ;  an  ad- 
mirable apple  for  baking  ;  tree  a  good  bearer,  and 
ripe  soon  after  the  early  harvest. 

3.  Red  Juneating. 

There  are  several  varieties  of  this  early  apple, 
and  the  qualities  of  all  that  I  have  seen  much  resem- 
ble each  other.  The  trees  are  of  an  upright  slender 
habit,  of  a  medium  stature  ;  the  fruit  of  a  moderate 
size,  red,  generally  a  little  striped  ;  flavor  pleasant ; 
ripens  early.  The  juneatings  are  all  table  fruits,  and 
are  rarely  used  for  culinary  purposes.  Trees  free 
bearers. 


DESCRIPTIVE    LISTS.  167 

4.   Summer  Pearmain. 

The  summer  pearmain  is  too  well  known  as  a 
fruit  of  the  first  order,  to  require  any  recommenda- 
tion or  description  of  its  good  qualities,  only  that  it 
deserves  a  place  in  every  good  collection  of  fruit,  as 
an  excellent  summer  apple.  It  ripens  in  August  and 
September  ;  tree  an  abundant  bearer. 

5.   Fall  Harvey. 

A  fine  large  fall  and  early  winter  apple,  exten- 
sively cultivated  in  the  state  of  Massachusetts,  more 
particularly  in  the  county  of  Essex,  where,  accord- 
ing to  the  opinion  of  Mr  Manning,  it  may  have  ori- 
ginated, who  says,  "  It  is,  without  question,  the 
finest  fall  and  early  winter  apple ;"  a  good  bearer, 
and  deserving  extensive  cultivation. 

6.  Hawthorndean. 

A  very  handsome  middle  sized  apple,  with  a  rich 
juicy  white  flesh  and  yellow  skin  with  red  next  the 
sun;  well  adapted  fora  fruit  garden.  The  Haw- 
thorndean is  evidently  one  of  the  best  kind  of  apples 
we  have  to  cultivate  in  a  close  confined  ground,  as 
it  bears  on  very  small  trees,  and  gives  a  good  annual 
produce,  and  is  one  of  the  best  apples  for  the  mar- 
ket in  the  fall.  Bears  equally  well  in  any  part  of 
the  Middle  States. 

7.   Porter. 

"  Originated  on  the  farm  of  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Porter,  in  Sherburne,  Mass." — Manning.  This 
fine  fruit  ripens  in  September  and  October,  and  may 
be  considered  as  a  superior  apple  in  quality,  and  a 
first  rate  bearer. 


168       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

8.  Ribstone  Pippin. 

The  best  table  apple  of  its  season  inEngland,  which 
is  in  December  and  January,  but  in  this  climate  it 
ripens  in  October  and  November,  and  does  not  possess 
the  rich  aromatic  flavor  asm  its  native  country.  The 
tree  grows  with  us  to  a  moderate  size,  and  the  fruit 
is  fine,  as  a  fall  apple  ;  the  color  of  a  russet  yellow 
mingled  with  red  nearest  the  sun.  It  should  find  a 
place  in  every  good  collection  of  fruit. 

9.  Golden  Russet. 

A  pretty  variety  of  the  russet,  said  to  have  ori- 
ginated in  Essex  county,  Mass.  ;  an  abundant  bearer, 
and  a  thrifty  growing  tree  ;  fruit  rather  under  a  mo- 
derate side,  of  a  rich  pleasant  flavor  ;  an  excellent 
bearer  in  Massachusetts,  and  probably  deserving  to 
be  more  cultivated  in  every  part  of  the  middle  states. 

10.  Blue  Pear  main. 

This  fruit  is  so  well  known  that  a  description 
would  be  useless  in  this  place.  It  is  ripe  in  Octo- 
ber, and  keeps  well  through  the  winter  months  ;  a 
free  bearing  tree  and  should  find  a  place  in  every 
orchard  in  the  states. 

11.  Baldwin. 

This  variety  is  said  to  be  a  native  of  Massachu- 
setts, where  it  is  raised  in  great  quantities  for  winter 
use.  The  tree  is  of  a  vigorous  upright  growth  and 
regular  form,  bearing  heavy  crops  of  fruit  every  al- 
ternate year. 

"  The  fruit  is  round,  of  a  pale  color  in  the  shade, 
fine  scarlet  or  crimson  next  the  sun,  sometimes  red 


DESCRIPTIVE    LISTS.  169 

on  every  side.  The  flesh  is  white,  breaking,  juicy, 
rich,  saccharine,  with  a  most  agreeable  acid,  and 
excellent  flavor." — Kenrick. 

12.  Seek-no-further* 

u  A  large  round  fruit,  contracted  toward  the  sum- 
mit ;  of  a  fine  deep  red  color  ;  the  flavor  sweet  and 
excellent,  relieved  by  a  slight  acid.  It  ripens  in 
October,  and  keeps  till  March.  The  tree  is  a  very 
great  bearer.  A  Rhode  Island  fruit." — Kenrick. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  PEARS. 

1.  Madeline.    (Citron  des  Carmes.) 
A  pale  yellow  fruit  of  a  medium  size  ;    a  little 
blush  nearest  the  sun.     One  of  the  finest  varieties  of 
early  pears,  and  generally  a  good  bearer. 

2.    Green  Chissel. 

A  very  old  early  variety.  Tree  of  a  small  up- 
right habit,  with  thick  dark  leaves  ;  fruit  in  clusters 
of  a  small  round  green  form,  brown  next  the  sun  ; 
generally  a  good  bearer. 

3.   Julienne. 

A  handsome  growing  tree,  and  good  bearer.  The 
fruit  is  of  a  medium  size,  of  a  smooth  yellow  skin, 
and  of  an  excellent  quality,  and  is  said  by  Mr  Ken- 
rick  to  be  "  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  valuable 
fruits  of  its  season,  and  deserving  an  extensive  cul- 
tivation. It  ripens  in  August." 


170       FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION, 

4.  Jlndrews. 

One  of  the  best  fall  pears  in  .the  vicinity  of  Bos- 
ton, and  highly  deserving  a  more  general  introduc- 
tion. 

^c  The  fruit  is  of  a  large  size,  form  inclining  to  an 
oblong,  melting  and  of  a  most  excellent  flavor.  It 
ripens  in  September." — Kenrick. 

5.    Williams'  Bon  Cretien. 
This  may  be  said  to  be  one  of  the  best  pears  of 
its  season  cultivated  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  and 
will  probably  flourish  in  most  parts  of  the  states. 

6.   Seckel. 

The  seckel  is  so  well  known  as  a  pear  of  the  first 
order  for  the  dessert,  that  any  recommendation  here 
would  be  superfluous  ;  but  I  must  say  that  it  should 
find  a  place  in  every  collection  of  fruit  in  the  or- 
chard and  garden.  The  tree  thrives  and  bears  well 
in  most  parts  of  the  states  ;  produces  fruit  when 
small,  and  will  grow  in  almost  any  situations.  It 
requires  more  pruning  than  the  pear  in  general  owing 
to  its  growing  to  a  thick  bushy  head,  which  has  to 
be  thinned  in  order  that  it  may  bear  freely. 

7.    GansePs  Bergamot. 

One  of  the  finest  varieties  of  bergamots  ;  bears 
well  in  the  vicinity  of  Albany,  and  deserves  a  trial 
in  most  parts  of  the  United  States.  Mr  Manning 
observes,  u  It  has  the  reputation  of  being  a  bad 
bearer,  but  in  the  gardens  in  Salem  it  produces 
good  crops."  The  fruit  is  ripe  in  October,  and  of 
a  fine,  melting,  delicious  flavour. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LISTS.  171 

8.  Dix. 

"  A  fine  pear  ;  originated  in  the  garden  of  Mrs 
Dix,  in  Boston.  It  sprung  from  the  seed  about 
1812.  The  tree  is  of  medium  vigor,  the  young 
wood  is  thorny.  It  is  very  productive.  The  fruit 
large,  oblong ;  the  skin  rough,  thick,  green,  but 
yellow  at  maturity,  with  a  blush*on  the  side  exposed 
to  the  sun  ;  the  stalk  short  and  situated  on  its  sum- 
mit ;  flesh  melting,  juicy,  rich,  and  of  fine  flavor, 
and  is  thought  to  be  even  superior  to  the  St  Ger- 
main . ' ' — Kenrick. 

This  fine  pear  ripens  in  October,  and  deserve  a 
place  in  every  collection  as  a  first  rate  autumn  fruit. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  THE  QUINCE. 

There  are  so  few  varieties  of  the  quince,  that  it 
seldom  occurs  to  the  planter  when  purchasing  to 
apply  for  any  specific  name  or  variety  ;  he  merely 
inquires  for  "  the  quince."  However,  like  other 
fruit,  it  deserves  some  attention  in  selection.  Of 
this  I  was  fully  convinced  last  year  on  a  visit  to  the 
garden  of  Marshall  P.  Wilder,  Esq.,  of  Dorchester, 
by  noticing  a  new  variety  loaded  with  beautiful  fruit, 
growing  by  the  side  of  an  old  kind  that  was  almost 
past  bearing,  and  the  fruit  which  was  on  the  tree  of 
inferior  quality.  The  following  varieties  quoted 
from  Kenrick's  Orchardist  are  the  best  I  am  ac- 
quainted with. 

1.    Orange  Quince  (Maliforma  or  Apple  Qmncc), 
Is   a  large,   roundish,  beautiful  fruit,  ripening  in 
November.     The   leaves  are  oval  and  woolly  th$ 
lower  side. 


172  FRUIT    GARDEN    COMPANION. 

2.    Oblong,  or  Pear  Quince  (Oblonga). 
This  fruit  is  pear  shaped,  lengthened  at  the  base. 
Leaves  oblong  ovate. 

3.  Portugal  Quince  (Lusitanicd) . 
This  fruit  is  of  a. variable  form,  sometimes  pear- 
shaped  ;  very  juicy  and  astringent  ;    it  is  highly  es- 
teemed.     London   states   that   it   is  rather  a  shy 
bearer.     Leaves  obovate,  woolly  above. 


DESCRIPTIVE  LIST  OF  GRAPES. 

In  giving  a  descriptive  list  of  grapes,  I  have  con" 
fined  it  to  six  varieties  which  I  hope  will  combine 
all  the  qualities  requisite  for  a  small  collection.  I 
have  been  careful  to  select  those  which  are  good 
bearers  and  which  possess  other  desirable  qualities. 

1.    White  Sweetwater. 

The  white  sweetwater  is  a  hardy  growing  vine, 
and  generally  a  good  bearer  in  the  vinery.  In  fa- 
vorable seasons  it  bears  very  good  crops  of  fruit  in 
open  culture.  The  wood  is  hardy,  short  jointed, 
follicles  of  a  dark  green  ;  inclined  to  a  purple  on  the 
stalks  ;  bunches  large,  long,  well  shouldered  ;  the 
berries  of  a  moderate  size  ;  round ;  of  a  greenish 
yellow  when  partly  ripe  ;  when  fully  ripe,  of  a  yel- 
low amber  ;  the  flower  rich  and  juicy.  The  best 
early  forcing  grape  on  the  list. 


DESCRIPTIVE    LISTS*  173 

2.  Black  Frontignac. 

"The  bunches  are  rather  short,  and  below  the 
medium  size,  and  loosely  formed  ;  the  berries  are  of 
a  medium  size,  round,  black,  and  covered  with  a 
blue  bloom  ;  the  flavor  is  vinous,  sweet,  and  musky." 
— Kenrich. 

One  of  the  best  black  grapes  for  general  culture 
in  the  vinery. 

3.  Black  Hamburgh. 

One  of  the  best  grapes  known  for  the  vinery,  and 
more  grown  than  any  other  variety.  The  bunches 
are  well  shouldered,  the  berries  oval,  and,  when  well 
ripened,  of  a  very  dark  purple,  approaching  to  a 
black  color  ;  but  when  the  season  or  management 
has  not  been  favorable,  the  berries  are  red,  and 
hence  the  name,  often  incorrectly  applied,  of  Red 
Hamburgh.  This  fine  variety  has  been  much  dis- 
seminated from  the  famous  vine  at  Hampton  Court, 
(England)  which  is  no  doubt  one  of  the  originals. 

4.  Frackenthal. 

A  very  excellent  black  grape,  bearing  some  re- 
semblance to  the  Black  Hamburgh,  but  longer 
bunches  ;  of  an  excellent  flavor,  and  a  good  bearer ; 
cultivated  to  great  perfection  by  Mr  McCowan,  at 
the  Hon.  J.  Perkins's,  Brookline,  near  Boston. 

5.  Early   White  Muscadine. 
A  very  productive  white  grape,  with  small  com- 
pact bunches,  and  highly  deserving  culture  in  a  small 
vinery,  when  a  variety  is  desirable. 


174        FRUIT  GARDEN  COMPANION. 

6.  White  Muscat  of  Alexandria. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed  varieties 
of  musk-flavored  grape,  and  surpassed  by  none  when 
well  grown  and  ripened.  It  is,  however,  a  shy 
bearer,  and  cannot  be  recommended  for  general  cul- 
tivation. It  requires  considerable  heat,  and  should 
be  planted  in  the  warmest  end  of  the  house.  The 
bunches  are  long,  and  generally  thin  of  berries, 
which  are  large,  oval,  and  yellow,  when  well  rip- 
ened. 


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